San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Polarizing issues stoke opposition as much as fans
PHOENIX — Arizona has long been fertile ground for a social conservative agenda, with some of the nation’s toughest laws against abortion and a history of restricting LGBTQ rights.
That hasn’t changed even as Republican dominance has waned over the past five years, a fact made plain last week when GOP lawmakers passed strict measures targeting abortion and the rights of transgender young people.
“It’s just become this political wedge issue that our legislators use to get more votes, and it’s not fair,” said Andi Young, the parent of a transgender teenager and co-chair of the board of directors for GLSEN Phoenix, an advocacy group promoting inclusive education.
GOP lawmakers thrust Arizona
into the national culture wars Thursday when they passed three bills in party-line votes banning abortion after 15 weeks, prohibiting transgender girls from playing on girls sports teams, and restricting gender-affirming health care for minors.
The measures have been popular with the conservative base in states where Republicans dominate but could be politically risky in a battleground state where Democrats have made significant inroads.
Arizona Republicans have not aggressively promoted the bills as they’ve moved through the Legislature. Few GOP lawmakers explained their support during sometimes emotional debates in the House.
That doesn’t surprise Mike Noble, a former Republican political consultant who now does nonpartisan polling in the
Arizona abortion rights advocates protest a bill last year at the state Capitol in Phoenix. GOP lawmakers have passed strict bills on abortion and the rights of transgender young people.
Southwest from his base in Phoenix.
“Those are clearly issues to really get the base fired up. However, the base is already fired up,” Noble said. “I think what you’re doing is giving the other side, who doesn’t have much of a reason to turn out, a reason to now come out and vote in these midterm elections.”
The decision on whether to sign the bills lies with Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who
has been mum.
“Governor Ducey needs to veto these hateful bills; lives are in the balance,” Kell Olson, a staff attorney in Tucson for the LGBTQ rights group Lambda Legal, said in a statement.
Arizona and Florida could join Mississippi and Louisiana in adopting a 15-week abortion ban, and nearly a dozen have limited participation in girls sports. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state officials to investigate
gender-affirming care as child abuse, and Arkansas banned it in a bill similar to Arizona’s.
The Republican governors of Utah and Indiana last week vetoed bills banning transgender girls from girls sports, calling the issue virtually nonexistent in their states. Utah’s Republican lawmakers overrode the governor’s veto Friday.