Chuck Darwin<p>Republicans block abortion-ban repeal after denouncing court ruling</p><p>Republicans in <a href="https://c.im/tags/Arizona" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Arizona</span></a> <br>👉halted an effort by Democrats on Wednesday to <a href="https://c.im/tags/repeal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>repeal</span></a> an 💥1864 law banning almost all abortions, 💥which the state supreme court this week ruled could go into effect.</p><p>The Arizona supreme court ruled on Tuesday that the 1864 law can go into effect – though it may not happen for weeks. <br>Under the law, which predates Arizona’s statehood, there are no exceptions for rape or incest and abortions are permitted only if the mother’s life is at risk.</p><p>Democrats and one Republican lawmaker sought to repeal the law, <br>but Republicans moved for a <a href="https://c.im/tags/recess" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>recess</span></a> --- preventing a vote on the matter.<br>The decision is expected to have major repercussions in the state and could significantly impact abortion access across the US south-west. <br>Political strategists have said that the near total ban would draw moderate voters to Democrats and mobilize young voters and voters of color.</p><p>Republican lawmakers in the state had denounced the court’s decision, including some who previously expressed support for the law. <br>Donald <a href="https://c.im/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Trump</span></a> and other high-profile Republicans, such as the Senate candidate Kari <a href="https://c.im/tags/Lake" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Lake</span></a>, had also declared their opposition to the ruling with Lake urging lawmakers to “come up with an immediate commonsense solution that Arizonans can support”.</p><p><a href="https://c.im/tags/Democrats" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Democrats</span></a>, who have made Arizona a top priority in 2024, hope to flip both the state house and senate and have seized on Republicans’ decision.</p><p>“I am disgusted by the actions of my peers, both lying about their stance on this issue so important to Arizonans, and refusing to repeal the 1864 ban,” said Priya Sundareshan, a Democratic senator and Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee co-chair.</p><p>“This is why we need to flip the legislature, pass the ballot initiative and stop Republicans from taking away this right ever again.”</p><p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/10/arizona-republicans-block-repeal-state-abortion-ban?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">theguardian.com/us-news/2024/a</span><span class="invisible">pr/10/arizona-republicans-block-repeal-state-abortion-ban?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other</span></a></p>