Three South Carolina Senators were not reelected in their party’s nomination process. This comes after they prevented an abortion ban in South Carolina from passing the Senate using filibuster tactics.
Following Roe v Wade’s overturn, Conservative states have had to pass their own abortion laws to best represent their constituents’ preferences. South Carolina, a Red State, failed to do so due to these Senators’ actions. The Guardian says:
Voters removed senators Sandy Senn, Penry Gustafson and Katrina Shealy from office during sparsely turned out primaries in June – and by doing so completely vacated the Republican wing of the five-member “Sister Senators”, a female contingent that included two Democrats and was united in its members opposition to the abortion ban.
For Republicans, the departure of Senn, Gustafson and Shealy likely means there will be no women in the majority party of the state senate when the next session starts in 2025. It could also mean that women will not wield power for decades in the fiercely conservative state legislature, where they have long struggled to gain entry.
All three Senators claimed to be pro-Life, and their call for exceptions might have been warranted. However, their collision with Democrats is most likely what sealed their fate. NBC News reports:
Gustafson, who represents three counties in the northern part of the state, lost by a wide margin to Allen Blackmon during the June 11 primary, after Blackmon obtained 82% of the vote. Blackmon also ran on an anti-abortion platform, saying on his campaign website that those who are “born and pre-born” are “worthy of protection.”
Senn, who has represented the southeastern part of the state including the Charleston area, was defeated by Matt Leber, narrowly losing her race by just more than 30 votes. Leber has served in the South Carolina House since 2022 and voted for the state’s bill, signed into law, that bans abortion after a “fetal heartbeat has been detected.”
At a time when Democrats are not wavering in their beliefs for late term abortions, Republicans are having difficulties justifying their moderation. Trump’s continual rising in the polls shows that conservatives are tired of compromising, even if the issue might warrant it according to some.
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