Kansas shocked Republicans and Democrats alike Tuesday night ... as voters in the conservative, deep red state hit the ballot box to PROTECT a woman's right to an abortion.
You heard it right. Scores of Kansans voted overwhelmingly to nix a proposed amendment that could have erased reproductive rights in the state. In doing so, they delivered a HUGE victory to pro-choice advocates.
The amendment was the first opportunity for any voter in the country to weigh in on the issue since the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court back in June.
Tuesday's ballot question, dubbed the “Value Them Both Amendment,” required Kansas voters to decide if their Constitution should continue protecting abortion rights or just get rid of it.
Those who voted “yes” wanted to kill abortion rights and send the issue back to the state legislature. A “no” vote would keep abortion rights on the books in the state. Both sides spent millions blanketing local media with ads promoting their clashing viewpoints.
As a result, voter turnout was incredibly high. At last count, 534,134 people voted "no" to the amendment as opposed to 374,611, who voted "yes," with 95 percent of the ballots counted, according to the New York Times.
President Biden hailed the victory, saying it “makes clear what we know: the majority of Americans agree that women should have access to abortion and should have the right to make their own health care decisions.”
A recent Gallup poll showed 55% of Americans support abortion rights.
Score one big one for pro-choice.