{"id":2285985,"date":"2024-06-30T06:44:01","date_gmt":"2024-06-30T10:44:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/floridas-abortion-ballot-measure-faces-daunting-threshold-in-november-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-06-30T06:49:30","modified_gmt":"2024-06-30T10:49:30","slug":"floridas-abortion-ballot-measure-faces-daunting-threshold-in-november-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/floridas-abortion-ballot-measure-faces-daunting-threshold-in-november-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida\u2019s abortion ballot measure faces daunting threshold in November &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffloridas-abortion-ballot-measure-faces-daunting-threshold-in-november-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2285985&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In \u2062Florida, the upcoming elections will include a\u2063 critical ballot measure\u200c on abortion, alongside the presidential and\u2064 Senate races. The measure, known\u200c as Ballot Measure 4, proposes that the state cannot enact\u2064 laws that would &#8220;prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient&#8217;s health,&#8221; as determined by healthcare \u200cproviders. This measure\u200d requires a 60% approval to pass, setting a high threshold that makes its outcome uncertain.<\/p>\n<p>The Democratic Party has \u2064aligned itself with this \u200bballot\u2064 measure, hoping \u2062it will draw voters\u2064 and benefit \u200dcandidates like President Joe Biden and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who is challenging incumbent Senator Rick Scott. Democrats argue that\u2064 the measure is essential in the aftermath of state policies under the influence of former President \u2062Donald Trump and \u2062Governor \u2063Ron\u200b DeSantis, which led to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/celebrities-outraged-pro-life-legislation-stands-in-texas-we-will-boycott-you\/\" title=\"Celebrities Outraged Pro-Life Legislation Stands In Texas: \u2018We Will Boycott You\u2019\">restrictive abortion laws<\/a> like the 15-week and later a six-week \u200cban.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, Republicans \u200bin Florida, including DeSantis, have expressed strong opposition to the measure, claiming it\u200d could lead to unrestricted abortions. They view initiatives on abortion and other issues \u2064like recreational marijuana (also on the ballot) as misguided efforts by a \u2062minority trying to push a radical agenda. The GOP has condemned the efforts \u200bas attempts to mislead voters,\u2062 with \u2062arguments \u200cemphasizing the adequacy of \u2063current state legislations reflecting public priorities.<\/p>\n<p>Recent polls suggest public support for the measure exceeds the required\u2064 60% threshold. However, both\u2062 parties recognize the significant impact \u2063voter turnout will \u200dhave\u200b on the final\u2062 results in November. \u2064The outcome of this ballot measure is anticipated to boost\u2063 Democratic turnout more significantly than Republican, \u2063but the growing influence of the GOP in Florida could\u2063 pose challenges for \u200cDemocrats in securing wins\u2063 in the broader electoral contests.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>In the Sunshine State, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/abortion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"abortion\">abortion<\/a> will be on the ballot when voters decide on the presidential and Senate races &mdash; but unlike those two races, the abortion ballot measure must seek a higher threshold that could be its undoing.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats have tied their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3013038\/democrats-believe-abortion-florida-play-november\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"hopes\">hopes<\/a> for making up ground in <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/florida\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"hopes\">Florida<\/a> &mdash; a state becoming increasingly Republican &mdash; to the abortion ballot measure, while Republicans have stated their opposition to the measure, and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2024\/06\/10\/desantis-target-abortion-pot-amendments-florida-ballot-00162567\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"reportedly\">reportedly<\/a> launched a fund to support the opposition.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, in Florida, abortion is banned after six weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest, human trafficking, or the health of the mother. Ballot Measure 4 would block the state from creating laws that would &ldquo;prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient&rsquo;s health, as determined by the patient&rsquo;s healthcare provider.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Proponents of the initiative argue it would <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/vulnerable-dem-mum-on-bidens-call-to-abolish-filibuster\/\" title=\"Vulnerable Dem Mum on Biden\u2019s Call To Abolish Filibuster\">enshrine abortion rights<\/a> through viability, while opponents of the measure have argued the exceptions are too vague and could open the door for&nbsp;abortion&nbsp;without limits.<\/p>\n<p>While abortion ballot measures have typically gone in favor of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Democrats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democrats<\/a>, the 60% threshold required for a measure to pass in Florida means neither side has the upper hand, even if the measure is popular.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think people appreciate how high a threshold 60% is. It&rsquo;s a significant threshold. It&rsquo;s going to be hard to get there,&rdquo; Dr. Kevin Wagner, professor and associate dean at Florida Atlantic University, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The initial sort of look at the public opinion data suggest there&rsquo;s more support for ballot measure four than say the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/marijuana\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>marijuana<\/a> measure, it could theoretically still pass to if both can carry 60% but it&rsquo;s gonna, it&rsquo;s gonna depend a lot on who turns out in November,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>Recent polling has shown the measure being over the 60% threshold, with a June Fox News <a href=\"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Fox_June-1-4-2024_FLORIDA_Topline_June-6-Release.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"poll\">poll<\/a> showing 69% of Florida voters supporting the measure, but with months to go in the campaign where the two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/canadian-parliament-votes-unanimously-to-recognize-chinas-genocide\/\" title=\"Canadian Parliament Votes Unanimously To Recognize China\u2019s Genocide\">major political parties<\/a> have picked opposing sides, it appears too early to predict who will have the edge.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats have tied themselves to the measure, pitching for voters to support amendment four and vote for President Joe Biden, and looking to capitalize on the matter. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We know we got into this moment because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump<\/a> stacked the court, and they overturned&nbsp;<em>Roe v. Wade<\/em>, and from there, Ron DeSantis passed a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-takes-up-mississippi-abortion-ban-case-that-could-limit-roe-v-wade\/\" title=\"Supreme Court Takes Up Mississippi Abortion Ban Case That Could Limit Roe v. Wade\">15-week abortion ban<\/a> and then a six-week abortion ban,&rdquo; Florida Democratic Party chairwoman Nikki Fried told reporters in April.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>FILE &ndash; Abortion rights advocates hold a rally in support of the &ldquo;Yes On 4&rdquo; campaign in downtown Orlando, Florida, on Saturday, April 13, 2024, ahead of the November ballot initiative, when Florida voters will decide on whether to allow the right to an abortion in Florida. At least four states will have abortion-related ballot questions in November&rsquo;s election and there&rsquo;s a push to get them before voters in several others. (Willie J. Allen Jr.\/Orlando Sentinel via AP, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Republicans in the Sunshine State have stated their opposition to both ballot measures three &mdash; which would legalize recreational marijuana &mdash; and four, accusing supporters of the measure of trying to confuse voters.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Floridians are confident that&nbsp;their&nbsp;legislature has been passing laws that reflect the priorities of our&nbsp;state. Amendments&nbsp;3 and 4 are unnecessary attempts by an increasingly shrinking minority&nbsp;who know the only way&nbsp;to&nbsp;win support for their radical agenda is&nbsp;to confuse&nbsp;and mislead&nbsp;the electorate,&rdquo; Florida Republican Party chairman Evan Power said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Florida Democrats are a dead carcass on the side of the road, but outside dark money&nbsp;groups are looking to promote&nbsp;their&nbsp;far-left ideology by attempting to confuse Florida voters.&nbsp;The Florida GOP stands ready to correct the record and defeat the radical left while enshrining in our&nbsp;Constitution&nbsp;more rights for our citizens,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats have hoped abortion on the ballot will boost turnout and potentially boost Biden and Democratic Senate candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell &mdash; who is challenging Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Rick-Scott\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Rick Scott<\/a> (R-FL) &mdash; to upset victories in November. The Biden campaign has insisted the state is &ldquo;in play,&rdquo; with abortion being center to their rationale.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Florida is in play for President Biden and Democrats up and down the ballot. Trump and his out of touch loyalists are taking the state for granted, while their extreme agenda continues to increase costs and rip away Floridians&rsquo; freedoms,&rdquo; Dan Kanninen, Biden-Harris Battleground States Director said in a statement to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;The President has a strong story to tell on the issues that matter most to Floridians, which is why our campaign continues to scale up our presence and investments into the state.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Wagner predicts that while the ballot measure will likely boost Democratic turnout more than Republican turnout, the growing strength of the Florida GOP may be too much for Democrats to overcome in terms of taking a victory in the presidential and Senate races.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;My expectation is it should help Democratic turnout more than it&rsquo;ll help Republican turnout, just by looking at the patterns that have occurred in other states across the country on these measures,&rdquo; Wagner said. &ldquo;With that said, the strength of the Republican Party in Florida has been significantly greater than the Democratic Party over the last several election cycles, so it&rsquo;s hard to see that being enough to overcome the advantages that Republicans have in Florida.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Not impossible, but it would be highly unexpected,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>In November 2020, Democrats held a 106,986 lead in registered voters in the state over the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/GOP\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>GOP<\/a>, but as of May 31, 2024, Republicans now hold a 930,671 registered voter lead over Democrats in Florida. The last major elections in the state, in 2022, were a disaster for Democrats, with all statewide GOP candidates winning by double digits.<\/p>\n<p>In Ohio, a former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-more-votes-than-voters-in-key-swing-states\/\" title=\"Trump: More Votes Than Voters in Key Swing States\">key swing state<\/a> that has also shifted Republican in recent years, voters approved a ballot measure similar to the one in Florida by a margin of 56.8%-43.2% in November 2023. Florida could also see ticket splitters who still vote Republican but also support ballot measure four &ndash; adding a hurdle to Democrats looking to capitalize on the topic.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think the data from some of the other states, like Ohio, that did this show that you can get significant support for Republicans on one of these &lsquo;return to Roe&rsquo; style amendments, and then you know, the Republicans will return to voting for Republican candidates in other races. We&rsquo;ve certainly seen that pattern in other states,&rdquo; Wagner said<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;So for Democrats, it&rsquo;s not just getting people to turn on the amendment, it&rsquo;s getting them to choose Democratic candidates as well. That&rsquo;s certainly no sure thing,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>Voters in Florida will decide on the fate of ballot measure four on Nov. 5.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Florida, abortion will be a key issue alongside the presidential and Senate races on the ballot. However, this measure faces a higher approval threshold for passage. Democrats are pinning their hopes on this issue as they aim to gain ground in an increasingly Republican-leaning state<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2638,"featured_media":2285986,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/florida-abortion-ballot-measure-4.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[4310,32912,5113],"class_list":["post-2285985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-abortion","tag-ballot-measure","tag-florida"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/florida-abortion-ballot-measure-4.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2285985","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2285985"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2285985\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2285986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2285985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2285985"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2285985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}