Tuesday's election in Ohio was widely portrayed as a victory for the cause of "reproductive freedom." But more than that, it was a victory for out-of-state special interests.
With the defeat of Issue 1, which would have increased the vote threshold for future state constitutional amendments by ballot to 60 percent, our state remains vulnerable to wealthy out-of-state special interest groups that intend to make Ohio their latest left-wing pet project.
Since Tuesday's election, the pro-abortion lobby and its media allies have claimed that Issue 1 failed because Ohioans oppose any effort to limit abortion and favor a November ballot measure that would enshrine so-called "reproductive freedom" in our state constitution.
While it is true that the November ballot measure, drafted by the ACLU and other pro-abortion giants, would have been more difficult to pass had Issue 1 prevailed, Issue 1's failure does not indicate that Ohio voters support abortion until birth—something the November ballot measure would guarantee.
Polling conducted by Harvard-Harris at the height of reaction to the Dobbs v Jackson Supreme Court decision showed that only one in 10 Americans support what the November ballot initiative allows. Marist has surveyed Americans for over a decade and this year, just as in previous ones, a majority of Americans said they support limiting abortion to, at most, the first three months of pregnancy.
Contrary to claims by Issue 1 opponents and the abortion lobby, the November amendment would turn Ohio into a radical pro-abortion regime that is wildly out of step with the views of its residents. With substantial input from the ACLU, an organization with a long and troubling history of targeting parental rights and pushing for abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, this amendment would undo parental consent and notification laws in our state and permit abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, including up until the moment of birth.
The amendment does not once mention the word "women," nor does it contain any age-related language that would distinguish between a minor and adult. It prevents any limits on abortion when the procedure is determined to be "necessary" for the woman's health. And while proponents erroneously claim the amendment leaves the door open for restrictions on abortion once an unborn child is able to survive outside the womb, they conveniently fail to mention that it is the abortionist who gets to decide whether protecting a woman's "health" should override any limitations on the procedure. And courts across the country have ruled that "health" can be defined as emotional health, mental health—even financial health—nearly guaranteeing unfettered access to abortion until birth if this amendment passes.
Because of Tuesday's loss, Ohioans will see wealthy special interest groups flood our state over the next three months with out-of-state money as they aim to pass an anti-parent and anti-woman amendment that would otherwise never make it through the state legislature.
Over $12.5 million of the reported $14.8 million raised by Issue 1 opponents came from outside of Ohio—primarily from liberal strongholds like New York, California, and Washington, D.C—and we should expect more of the same between now and November as dark money groups and coastal elites prepare to pour millions into our state to impose their unpopular agenda.
Until we make it harder for these groups to buy their way into our state constitution, we will continue to see them push their disastrous policies on our state.
Taxpayer-funded, painful late-term abortion does not align with Ohioans' values. We must reclaim our moral compass and fight for every family in our state. And we have a monumental opportunity to do so now.
In the months to come, I know the pro-life movement and pro-parent coalition in my state will bring heightened zeal and determination as we work to protect the rights of Ohio parents, women, and the unborn from powerful special interest groups who are most interested in lining their pockets at the expense of the most vulnerable.
This is a battle we have been preparing for long before Issue 1 was on our radar, and we are more ready than ever.
Mehek Cooke is a mother, attorney, 2020 State House candidate and business owner from Ohio. She has previously served as legal and policy counsel for presidential campaigns, the Ohio Governor's Office and the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
