Rebecca Gau, a self-described “reasonable Republican” in Mesa, Ariz., is conflicted about many things that her party promotes.
But she knows exactly what she thinks about Arizona’s new — or rather, very old — Civil War-era abortion ban.
“Are you nuts?” she said, adding that she was frustrated with the ban and Republican politicians inserting themselves into women’s health choices.
Ms. Gau, 52, said she probably would not have chosen an abortion for herself.
Across the country, fractures are emerging among conservative and centrist Republican women, as they confront an unrelenting drumbeat of new abortion bans and court rulings.
For years, the party’s message was simple and broad: Republicans oppose abortion.
In Florida, women are preparing for a new six-week abortion ban to soon go into effect.
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Mesa, Arizona resident Rebecca Gau, a self-described “reasonable Republican,”. feels mixed about a lot of the policies her party supports. However, she is quite clear about her feelings regarding Arizona’s recent — or rather, long-standing — ban on abortion from the Civil War era. And regarding the notion that Republicans like her could be content with the result.
She questioned the ban, asking, “Are you nuts?” and expressed her frustration with Republican politicians interfering with women’s health decisions.
Mrs. Gau, 52, stated that she most likely would not have chosen for herself to have an abortion. But she added that she would never hold a woman accountable for choosing her own path. She said, “It’s not a clear-cut line.”.
Republican women who lean conservative or moderate are becoming more polarized across the nation as a result of the constant barrage of new abortion restrictions and court decisions. The party’s broad and straightforward platform for years was: Republicans are against abortion. Politicians there hardly ever delved into the nuances of the position’s implications for medical emergencies, fertility treatments, and miscarriages.
They are now ubiquitous complicated realities. Concerns about future access to in vitro fertilization procedures have been raised by the State Supreme Court of Alabama’s decision to declare frozen embryos to be legal children. Women in Florida are getting ready for a new six-week abortion ban to take effect shortly.
Arizona is one of the most important states to watch in the 2024 election and is the place where talk is at its highest this week. Tuesday saw a 4 to 2 decision by the State Supreme Court to reinstate an 1864 statute that outlawed abortions in all circumstances other than those in which the mother’s life is in danger. It did not differentiate between incest and rape.
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