North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper vetoes abortion ban setting up GOP override

Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) vetoed an abortion restriction bill Saturday, setting the stage for the GOP to likely override the governor’s veto.

Republicans, who hold a supermajority in the state legislature, sent him legislation just over a week ago to prohibit most abortions after 12 weeks of gestation. Cooper held a rally Saturday to veto the “monster” bill, which he contended would make obtaining an abortion overly complicated for women.

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“We are going to have to kick it into an even higher gear when that veto stamp comes down. If just one Republican in either the House or the Senate keeps a campaign promise to protect women’s reproductive health, we can stop this ban,” Cooper declared at a rally for “Reproductive Freedom” Saturday.

“There are four legislators who made these promises, but I think there may be more who know in their hearts and minds that this is bad,” he added.

Previously Cooper claimed that state legislators Ted Davis, Michael Lee, John Bradford, and Tricia Cotham “made campaign promises to protect women’s reproductive health.” Notably, Lee publicly backed restricting abortion to the first trimester in an op-ed published in September.

Should Republicans prevail in an override, the measure will go into effect on July 1. The bill includes carveouts for rape, incest, certain fetal abnormalities, and medical emergencies. Patients would also be mandated to have a doctor’s visit roughly three days before receiving an abortion.

Republicans also earmarked $160 million for various reproductive, adoption, and paid family leave initiatives.

Currently, North Carolina restricts abortion to 20 weeks of gestation.

Surrounded by abortion rights activists, Cooper issued a rallying cry for his supporters to help Democrats recapture state legislature seats.

“If we don’t [win], they will completely ban abortion in North Carolina. We will not let them,” Cooper declared.

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Across the country, GOP-controlled states have enacted a spree of abortion restrictions, given their newfound powers to do so after the overturn of Roe v. Wade last summer. Down in South Carolina, for instance, lawmakers are contemplating a six-week abortion ban.

Republicans have been eyeing a comeback for North Carolina’s governor’s office. Cooper, who has been in office since 2017, is term-limited, and Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R-NC) recently entered the race to succeed him. Back in January, Democrat Attorney General Josh Stein officially debuted his campaign for governor.