They’re divided by party and ideology, but the biggest difference between the two leading rivals for Missouri governor could be their stance on the abortion-rights amendment on the Nov. 5 ballot.
That was underscored by how the two candidates reacted to a ruling by the Missouri Supreme Court to restore Amendment 3 to the general election ballot.
Amendment 3, if passed by a majority of Missourians, would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, nullifying the law signed by Gov. Mike Parson in 2019 that bars abortions in all cases, except for medical emergencies.
The abortion ban went into effect in 2022, after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade.
After the high court’s ruling Tuesday afternoon, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, the Republican nominee, urged Missourians “to do their research” on the amendment, calling it “a deceptive effort by out-of-state interests.”
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Amendment 3 is a deceptive effort by out-of-state interests, and I urge Missourians to do their research on the far-reaching consequences of this amendment before voting in November.
— Mike Kehoe (@MikeLKehoe)
It’s up to us to defend the rights of the unborn.
While Kehoe stopped short of urging a “no” vote, he has been friendly to the anti-abortion movement, and was among the three Republican gubernatorial candidates who called on Missourians to “decline to sign” the initiative petition earlier this year.
By contrast, Rep. Crystal Quade, the House Minority Leader and Democratic nominee for governor, said she was “grateful” for the high court’s ruling.
“Voters will overturn Missouri’s cruel ban that has zero exceptions for rape and incest, and they deserve a governor who will protect the will of voters and the rights of every Missourian,” she said in a social media post.
I’m grateful the Missouri Supreme Court saw through yet another attempt from the extremist anti-abortion politicians in Jefferson City to keep Missourians from having their say at the ballot box.
— Crystal Quade (@crystal_quade)
Voters will overturn Missouri’s cruel ban that has zero exceptions for rape and…
Democrats expect the abortion issue to help their performance in the general election, even though Republicans are favored in every statewide race in deep-red Missouri.
Kehoe, who did not get the endorsement of Missouri Right to Life in the GOP primary, has signaled an openness to rape and incest exceptions to Missouri’s strict abortion law. But, there would be no need to carve out such exceptions if Amendment 3 passes.
A majority of the seven-member court ruled that the measure should stay on the ballot.