VP Kamala Harris calls for Iowans to vote as abortion law takes effect

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks on abortion access in Tallahassee, Florida on Jan. 22, 2023. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Florida Phoenix)

Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Iowa’s abortion ban in a video released Monday, calling for voters to support her as the presidential candidate in 2024 to preserve abortion access.

Iowa’s six-week abortion ban took effect at 8 a.m. Monday as a district judge lifted the injunction blocking the law. The measure bans most abortions — with some exceptions — after cardiac activity is detectable in an embryo, something that can happen as early as six weeks of gestation. Enforcement was called for in the state Supreme Court ruling in June that set a lower legal standard for assessing abortion laws’ constitutionality.

In a video posted on YouTube, Harris linked the Iowa measure with former President Donald Trump, whom she is expected to face in the November general election.

“So today, Iowa put in place a Trump abortion ban, which makes Iowa the 22nd state in our country to have a Trump abortion ban,” Harris said. “And this ban is going to take effect before many women even know they’re pregnant. And what this means is that 1 in 3 women of reproductive age in America lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban.”

Iowa is one of many states that has restricted abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, finding there was no constitutional right to an abortion. Democrats have linked the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization with Trump’s presidency, as he appointed three conservative Supreme Court justices while in office.

Harris said that in the wake of state laws restricting abortion throughout the country, “what we need to do is vote.”

“Because I’m going to tell you something: when I am President of the United States, I will sign into law the protections for reproductive freedom,” Harris said. “So let’s get this done.”

Harris is the likely Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden exited the race and endorsed her earlier in July. Though Harris will not officially be nominated until the August Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the Democratic National Committee plans to hold a virtual nomination vote for its presidential candidate as soon as Aug. 1.

Other Iowa Democrats also called for help in flipping GOP seats in the upcoming election. Republicans currently have a supermajority in the state Senate and majority in the House, in addition to holding all but one statewide elected office. Iowa’s congressional delegation is also entirely Republican.

House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst said “half of the state is less free today than they were yesterday because of Republicans in the Legislature and (Gov.) Kim Reynolds.” She said pregnant Iowans will not be able to get potentially life-saving health care because of the ban.

Though Republicans have had significant victories in recent Iowa elections, Konfrst said the so-called “fetal heartbeat” law taking effect will have a major impact in November.

“Make no mistake, between now and Election Day, a woman will die because of this abortion ban,” Konfrst said. “… And so what I’m asking Iowans to do is to look at the consequences of where we are now. We’re no longer talking about a threat, we’re talking about what really has happened. And so I think that’s going to change Iowans’ minds in many ways. And basically the idea is, ‘You’ve heard about this for a long time. They got their way. You don’t like what they’ve done, now is the time to hold them accountable.’”

A 2023 Iowa Poll found 61% of Iowa adults say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said Iowa Republicans are choosing to “practice medicine without a license” through government restriction of reproductive health care. She said Iowans need to get ready to vote to show their opposition to GOP-backed abortion laws.

“We now have fewer than 100 days until the November election, and so we are asking Iowans to start making a plan to vote,” Hart said. “Our lives, our livelihoods and health care are on the ballot. We need to bring back common sense and balance to Iowa government. That can only happen with a stronger Democrat presence in our state Legislature.”