On Tuesday night, the Associated Press projected that the people of Kansas voted down the Value Them Both Amendment, which would have stripped the state of its abortion rights protection.
The amendment, which failed with just 38% of voters choosing “yes” (as of 9:50 p.m. CST), , would have repealed a 2019 decision by the Kansas Supreme Court. This decision made a woman’s right to choose one of Kansas’ inalienable rights protected by the State Bill of Rights. If the measure passed, the Kansas state legislature would have had the power to restrict or even ban abortion. This likely would have happened because of the Republican supermajority in both chambers in the state legislature.
This is a sign that the overturning of Roe v. Wade could be a significant difference maker for the midterms. This is especially true given that less people turn out for primary elections than for general elections in November as well as the fact Kansas is generally a solid red state.