Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his administration are actively campaigning against a proposed constitutional amendment, Amendment 4, which seeks to enshrine abortion rights in the state.
The amendment, appearing on the November ballot, would overturn a six-week abortion ban that DeSantis signed into law, introducing a significant political challenge for the governor after setbacks in his presidential campaign and local school board elections.
In the weeks leading up to the election, state agencies have launched efforts to undermine the amendment, including creating a website with misleading information, threatening TV stations that aired pro-amendment ads, and investigating alleged fraud in the signature-gathering process for the ballot measure.
Critics, including Democratic state Senator Jason Pizzo, argue that using taxpayer funds for these efforts is unethical, while supporters of the amendment, like Lauren Brenzel of Floridians Protecting Freedom, believe it is an attempt to silence women advocating for abortion rights.
The amendment would protect abortion access before fetal viability and include exceptions for the patient’s health. While it faces strong opposition from DeSantis and other Republicans, the measure needs 60% of the vote to pass, and recent polls suggest it may fall short.
DeSantis’ aggressive stance on this issue is seen as an effort to reassert his conservative credentials and recover politically after recent losses.
However, public polling indicates that despite the state’s polarized environment, voters’ support for the measure remains a contentious issue.