“The battleground state of North Carolina has taken a huge step forward in the fight for life,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.
Republican strategists say the ban could be an important litmus test of political realities for Republicans, especially in purple states like North Carolina.
“Legislatively, they’re on offense, but politically, they’re on the defensive, which is a strange place,” said Doug Heye, a former communications director for the Republican National Committee and a North Carolina native who consults in three Republican US State Senate campaigns. “They feel this is an issue for what is acceptable to the wider public.”
Dr. Kristin Baker, a House Republican, was the last lawmaker to speak before the vote. The bill “balances the protection of the life of the unborn child,” he said, to boos from the gallery, adding: “It balances that with a woman’s need for life-saving care. And , importantly, it protects the integrity of the doctor-patient relationship.”
On Monday, entities doing business across North Carolina, including online-rating company Yelp, British manufacturer Lush Cosmetics and upscale Raleigh eatery Death & Taxes, signed a petition opposing the bill, arguing that it will harm North Carolina’s standing as a magnet for business.
Restricting access to services including abortion “will not only deter future businesses from investing in our great state; it will also harm the confidence of companies that have already established roots here,” Ashley said. Christensen, a chef and owner of half a dozen restaurants and food service businesses in the Raleigh area, signed the petition.
Although Mr. Cooper and other Democrats have vowed to continue fighting for abortion rights, it is unclear what maneuvers they have left. During the nearly two-hour debates, Democrats in the House and Senate took turns getting angry and tearful about the bill before them.
“It’s really hard for me to believe that my government would do this to me, to my daughters, to my friends, to their daughters,” said Natasha Marcus, a Senate Democrat from the Charlotte area. .