Arizona activists look toward 2024 election

Abortion rights supporters have two years to gather signatures for ballot initiative

Arizona surprised many political observers in the last election with Democratic victories in the Governor, Senator and Attorney General races. The triumph for liberals shows the appeal of the women’s and abortion rights movements in the wake of the Dobbs decision. 

Amy Fitch-Heacock, board member and spokeswoman for Arizonans for Reproductive Freedom, was one of the activists who watched the politics unfold at the grassroots level. Democrats for the first time in 40 years hold three of the state’s top four offices. The other Senate office is held by Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party in December and became independent. But that progress still marks a seismic change in the commonwealth that produced the modern conservative movement with Barry Goldwater. 

“Ever since June when Roe was overturned, Arizona has really shown where we stand and that that is not you know, we're not a red state,” Fitch-Heacock said. “We're not overtly conservative.” 

Arizona has an interesting and surprising political history when it comes to abortion. Goldwater supported abortion rights, as have many Republicans throughout the state’s history. It wasn’t until the party was purged of all abortion rights supporters during primary contests in the 1970s and 1980s that it took on a more militant antiabortion stance. But even so, the late Sen. John McCain criticized future president George W. Bush for his extremism on abortion during the 2000 Republican Primary. There’s a history of moderate views within conservative politics in the state regarding reproductive issues. 

As with many states, Republican operatives there may have to reevaluate whether or not to take such staunch positions against choice should they want to remain a viable option for the socially progressive voters. The same is true of other swing states like Pennsylvania and throughout the Rust Belt. Democrats seemingly would benefit from stronger advocacy on abortion access. The last midterm was the first indication of what politicos can expect insofar as the impact abortion politics will have on the electorate. 

Additionally, galvanizing women’s rights supporters to vote in the next presidential election would be linked to the number of ballot initiatives introduced across the country to protect abortion access. In Arizona, Fitch-Heacock said that they were trying to get one for voters to approve in the 2024 contest. 

Repro rights activists in the state attempted to gather signatures for a ballot initiative this year. They fell short, however. 

“Now that we have nearly two years to collect signatures, we're going at it much the same way we did,” Fitch-Heacock said. “Except in this last six, seven months, we've been able to continue to partner with other reproductive justice organizations in Arizona and globally.” 

It’s likely that could be a useful strategy in other swing states like Georgia, Ohio and even Kentucky–the last of which went for President Bill Clinton in 1996. 

“I think that the GOP and the anti-choice, anti-abortion activists and advocates really overplayed their hand here,” Fitch-Heacock said. “They didn't realize what they were up against. They didn't realize that the time had changed.”