Next week, Ohio voters will vote for or against Issue 1, which states that "every individual has a right to make and carry out one's own reproductive decisions," and millions of dollars are flowing into the state to see that it comes to pass.
Brent Keilen, the Family Research Council's (FRC) vice president for strategic initiatives, told Washington Watch Friday, "The last number I've seen are tens of millions of dollars being spent on the pro-abortion side."
"George Soros has put $2 million into this campaign," reports Aaron Baer of the Center for Christian Virtue. "The other side is outspending us almost 3-1 on TV right now, so we know it's tight."
In a special election in August, voters turned down a measure that would have required that any ballot proposal achieve 60% of the vote before the state constitution would be amended. That means abortion access in Ohio will be guaranteed if Issue 1 passes by a simple majority.
Ohio is just the current stage for a leftist strategy to use state constitutions to guarantee abortion in as many states as possible after the Supreme Court, in June of 2022, struck down the landmark abortion decision Roe v. Wade and returned to the states the ability to regulate abortion.
"They started this strategy where they're going to states and trying to go around state legislatures and get these constitutional amendments passed, enshrining these kinds of radical protections in these state constitutions, and they're particularly interested in these states like Michigan, we saw last year, and Ohio this year, where the threshold to amend the state constitution is not all that high," Keilen detailed.
Last November, following a campaign described as tense and expensive, Michigan voters amended their state's constitution include the right to abortion.
"This is very important," the FRC spokesman continued. "Issue 1 in Ohio, if passed, would enshrine these radical abortion protections into the constitution."
They won't stop with Ohio
Win or lose in The Buckeye State, pro-abortion activists have big plans for 2024.
"What's clear is that if we can't stop them here as a pro-life movement, they've set their sights on a number of other states," Baer tells AFN. "So right now, this is our time to draw the line in the sand."
"We've actually already seen the Left say this is their plan for 2024," Keilen told show host Jody Hice. "They did some stuff last year; they have the chance with a state like Ohio this year, but they've outlined anywhere from 10-12 states next year where they want to do this same exact thing."
He advised anyone listening "to take note of this, because this could very quickly be coming to a state near you."
"It's very, very important nationally," Keilen added.
Baer recognizes there are varied views on abortion itself, but what his organization is trying to convey is the proposed constitutional amendment is extreme.
"This is going to allow abortion up to birth," he reiterates. "We see over 70%-80% of people think that's wrong. They might say, 'Yeah, I think an adult should be able to decide what to do with their body,' but when you say, 'Hey, this is going to allow minors to get abortions without their parents knowing or … giving consent,' they'll say, 'Well, that's way too far.'"
Parental rights at risk
Pro-life leaders also believe Issue 1's language would nullify the state's existing parental consent laws.
Current law mandates that minors need to have express permission from at least one legal guardian in order to get an abortion. A minor can also pursue permission through a court judgment without parental consent.
The concern is that a court could find the amendment's assertion that "every individual has a right to make and carry out one's own reproductive decisions" to mean that an abortion-minded minor's decision cannot be overridden by her parents.
"It would significantly undermine parental rights, which is very, very concerning if you look at how this amendment is worded.," Keilen said.
He warned that "lots of bad stuff will happen if this gets passed."
Though the other side has had well over $9 million to spend in Ohio so far, Baer submits that the key to a pro-life win next week will be for the Church to show up on Election Day and vote "no" on Issue 1.
If it fails, then Ohio's ban on abortions will remain in effect and can be enforced whether the federal government enforces the federal law or not.
