Vice President Kamala Harris is going to Tucson, Arizona, on Friday as part of her “Reproductive Freedoms Tour.” This comes just after the Arizona Supreme Court upheld a law that almost completely bans abortion in the state. The ruling was cheered by those against abortion but criticized by Democrats and supporters of abortion rights, who say it puts women’s lives at risk.
Harris is expected to blame former President Donald Trump for the court’s decision, saying he played a big role in overturning Roe v. Wade, which protected abortion rights nationwide.
Several other Democrats will join Harris on Friday, along with her husband, Doug Emhoff. Harris will likely talk about how Arizona is rolling back women’s rights and freedoms, warning that if Trump gets a second term, there could be more restrictions on abortion.
Trump himself criticized Arizona’s strict abortion law, saying it goes too far. He believes each state should decide its own abortion rules.
Harris and the Biden campaign have made the issue of abortion a big part of their campaign against Trump.
On Friday, Harris might also criticize Republican lawmakers in Arizona who blocked a move to repeal the old abortion law this week. They said they need more time to talk to people and decide what to do next.
The old law only allows abortion if it’s needed to save the mother’s life, and doctors who help with an abortion could be punished with up to five years in prison.
Republican leaders in Arizona, who supported the Supreme Court’s decision against Roe v. Wade, have been less vocal about abortion this week.
If the Arizona Legislature doesn’t pass a new law to change the old abortion law, voters might get to decide on abortion rights in November.
A group called Arizona for Abortion Access has collected enough signatures for a ballot initiative to protect abortion rights in the state constitution. They plan to keep gathering signatures until the deadline in July.
The Biden-Harris campaign praised this effort, saying it shows how important abortion rights are to people in Arizona.
Abortion has always been a big issue in Arizona politics, and now it’s even more important than before. Biden won Arizona by a small margin in 2020, and abortion could be a key issue in the 2024 election there.
