Here's how we fight back:  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

It's been a bad month for abortion rights, John.

From coast to coast, the GOP is dead-set on restricting our autonomy over our own bodies — despite most Americans (including Republicans) being pro-choice. Though we knew what a post-Roe v. Wade America could look like, it's still shocking to watch the rapid dissolution of our most basic human rights.

I see one clear way to fight back, and that's to keep electing pro-choice Democrats at every level of government — especially in state and local office, where so many of these life-or-death decisions are getting made. If you agree, please consider chipping in $7 to support Democratic pro-choice women candidates across the country.

Two weeks ago, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law what is effectively a total abortion ban. This is not only devastating for Floridians, but also for people in states with bans across the South, for whom Florida has offered some abortion access since the overturning of Roe.

New data out of South Carolina show that out-of-state patients account for half of the abortions in the state. That proportion will only continue to grow, likely overwhelming clinics, when Florida's six-week ban goes into effect.

Things will get even more dire in South Carolina when and if North Carolina's state legislature is successful in passing its own ban. That's right: although the Tar Heel State has a Democratic governor, Republicans in the state legislature now have a big enough majority to override the governor's veto, after a Democratic legislator recently switched parties. As of this week, Republicans are looking to introduce a 12-week abortion ban, severely limiting access for North Carolinians.

And on the opposite side of the country, in Idaho, OBGYNs are leaving the state because of its draconian abortion laws. Just last month, a hospital in rural Idaho announced it was forced to close its labor and delivery unit, forcing pregnant patients to travel 46 miles to the next-nearest hospital to give birth.

In a statement about the closure, the hospital cited abortion bans that "criminalize physicians for medical care nationally recognized as the standard of care."

While the GOP will claim these bans are about protecting women and strengthening families, we know the truth: Republicans want to control what people, especially women, do with our own bodies.

So, how do we fight back? We keep electing Democratic pro-choice women who will protect and restore reproductive rights in every corner of the country. Donate now to join the fight:

https://emilyslist.org/go/Help-Women-Win-April23

Thank you,

Sarah Curmi (she/her/hers)
Vice President of State & Local Campaigns, EMILYs List