Democrats running for governor in several states have started publicly chiding their primary opponents for not doing enough to ensure abortion rights in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
In Florida, Democratic Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried has hammered Rep. Charlie Crist (D-Fla.), a former Republican governor of the state, for his convoluted and evolving stance on abortion. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee was criticized by his primary rivals for not going far enough to protect abortion access in the state.
Democratic gubernatorial candidates in Arizona have also escalated abortion as an issue. Democratic primary frontrunner Secretary of State Katie Hobbs has called for the repeal of a state law that prohibits most abortion procedures while her challenger wants to pardon abortion doctors who perform the procedure.
Whether it’s a winning strategy is yet to be seen. Fernand Amandi, a Democratic strategist and pollster, isn’t sure the issue will create “traction” in primaries but says it could be much more “potent” in the general election.
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