CINCINNATI — All eyes are now on the November 2023 election as Ohio voters will decide if abortion rights are enshrined in the state constitution.
One lawmaker is going on record saying voters might have a little deja vu next year. Senate President Matt Huffman acknowledged voters defeated Issue 1 on Tuesday, but said the state legislature is already looking at what they'll do if voters decide to add the amendment for reproductive rights.
"If it passes in November, there's going to be another abortion amendment on after that to repeal that," Huffman said.
The Republican from Lima also said there could be a different version of Issue 1 on the ballot at a future date.
"I'm kind of astonished that we got within 10 points if that's what it ends up being so it's an important question and with the time that we had to work with and all of that I think you'll probably see the question coming back," Huffman said.
RELATED | Ohio Issue 1 results by county: Here's how the state voted
He also blamed certain Republicans like John Kasich, Bob Taft and Betty Montgomery, for why Issue 1 went down.
"So you would have to place another question before the voters and you would have to convince them to undo what they've already done," said David Niven, University of Cincinnati political science professor.
Niven said he feels that alone is a tough sell to voters, especially after the results of Tuesday's election.
"There's a widespread assumption that it will pass because poll after poll after poll shows that a majority of Ohioans are supporting reproductive rights," said Niven. "Every time reproductive rights has gone on the ballot, even in a state like Kentucky where you might think the electorate may not be very sympathetic, reproductive rights have won."
Meanwhile, groups like the Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights say they're ready for a fight.
"We know there will be many efforts along the way to try and slow us down, but we've been dealing with that for the past year," said Dr. Lauren Bean.
Someone also asked Huffman about the possibility of lawmakers going back to Columbus to revisit and make changes to the abortion ban that's on hold by the state court.
"I would like to hear Gov. DeWine's suggestions as to what he thinks that should look like one, and two I'd like to hear the Speaker of the House's suggestions as to what he thinks that should look like," said Huffman. "I don't know what Gov. DeWine would support — I would like him to publicly say that so that we all know. And secondly, I'm not sure what the ability of the speaker is to pass any pro-life legislation in the house right now because as many of you know, there's discord, let's put it that way."
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