Sherrod Brown Receives Gift From Republicans

Tuesday's defeat in Ohio of a Republican push to make it harder to enshrine the right to an abortion in the state constitution should "act as a springboard" for the re-election of Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, according to a leading political scientist.

State Issue 1, which would have changed the threshold for amending the state constitution from an absolute majority to 60 percent of voters, was defeated by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent of the vote. The proposal was widely seen as a bid to make it harder to amend the state constitution to include abortion rights, after the federal right to an abortion ended when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Abortion access shot up the political agenda after the Supreme Court ruling in June 2022, with several states voting to add abortion rights to the state constitution. Polling indicates most Americans are opposed to the Supreme Court's decision, with a Gallup survey published in June 2023 finding 61 percent of voters think it was a "bad thing," versus just 38 percent who approve. This provides a political opportunity for Democrats, and was likely a factor in the Republican's disappointing performance at the November 2022 midterm elections, when a widely anticipated 'red wave' failed to materialize.

The Ohio vote was a particular boost for Brown, the state's Democratic senator, who is expected to face a tough re-election battle in 2024. Speaking to Newsweek Thomas Whalen, an associate professor at Boston University who specializes in American politics, said the vote could set Brown on the path to re-election.

He commented: "Modern-day Republicans have this unsurpassed ability to pull defeat from the jaws of victory. Ohio is just the latest example. This political gift, and that's what it is, should act as a springboard for a Brown re-election victory and a boost to Democrats around the country. File under 'Never Ending Story.'"

In a statement sent to Newsweek, reacting to Tuesday's vote, Brown said: "Ohioans saw this amendment for what it was: a power grab by powerful people designed to silence their voices.

"By rejecting State Issue 1, Ohioans rejected special interests and demanded that democracy remain where it belongs—in the hands of voters, not the rich and powerful. That is what has always guided me and I am proud to stand with Ohioans in this fight."

Tuesday's election result was welcomed by President Joe Biden, who said: "This measure was a blatant attempt to weaken voters' voices and further erode the freedom of women to make their own health care decisions. Ohioans spoke loud and clear, and tonight democracy won."

However it was condemned by anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America in a post on X, the social media site formally known as Twitter.

The group commented: "It is a sad day for Ohio and a warning for pro-life states across the nation. Millions of dollars and liberal dark money flooded Ohio to ensure they have a path to buy their extreme policies in a pro-life state."