Florida in Five: Abortion bans become an issue in local elections

Five stories to read from the past week in Florida politics.

Photo credit: Fibonacci Blue

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Welcome to another installment of Florida in Five: Five* stories you need to read from the past week in Florida politics.

Now that Florida politicians have imposed a statewide abortion ban, the issue is becoming a bigger topic in local elections. But while some candidates embrace their records, others are running from theirs.

In southwest Florida, for instance, commissioners in Lee County last week came out in support of the state abortion ban, which went into effect four months ago and bans access to abortion for the vast majority of patients.

They did so by passing a resolution formally opposing Amendment 4 — the proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would overturn Florida’s abortion ban and limit further government interference with abortion until a fetus is viable. One of the authors of Florida’s abortion ban personally lobbied county officials to get involved in the opposition campaign.  

Lee County, perhaps best known as the home of Sanibel Island, isn’t alone. Commissioners in neighboring Collier County, which includes the city of Naples, are also trying to defeat Amendment 4.

The Lee County resolution was placed on the agenda by Commissioner Mike Greenwell, who is running for re-election in November. “We should always understand that we can always help the unborn,” he said, according to the Cape Coral Breeze.

But in other parts of Florida, like Orlando, some anti-abortion politicians are hiding their positions from voters.  

Look, it’s probably not hard to guess whether Austin Arthur supports government interference with abortion.

The marketing executive, who is running to be a commissioner in Orange County, serves on the board of an anti-abortion clinic that lacks a medical license. His supporters include state Sen. Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala), who was one of the earliest Florida lawmakers to propose a statewide abortion ban.

Heck, when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an abortion ban into law, he invited Arthur to Tallahassee to celebrate.  

But Arthur has repeatedly refused to talk about his position on abortion now that he’s running for office in a community in which most voters oppose abortion bans. He wouldn’t even tell the Orlando Weekly whether he will vote for or against Amendment 4. (His opponent, incumbent Commissioner Nicole Wilson, told the newspaper that she supports the amendment).  

Arthur claimed that abortion isn’t something local officials get involved with.  

Except, of course, when they do.

*To paraphrase Barbossa, five is more what you’d call a guideline than an actual rule.

The abortion banners are cheating…

DeSantis’ election police questioned people who signed abortion petitions (Tampa Bay Times) ($)

See also: DeSantis administration reviewing abortion amendment petitions for ‘fraudsters’ (Tampa Bay Times) ($)

See also: Critics blast Florida’s Amendment 4 website as unlawful ‘taxpayer-funded political ad’ (Orlando Sentinel) ($)

See also: Ron DeSantis, Heritage Foundation Team Up to Kill Florida Abortion Measure (Rolling Stone)

…Because they’re about to lose

Meet the conservative women who are planning to vote Yes on Florida’s abortion amendment (Miami Herald) ($)

If you really want to find fraud, maybe look over here

A completed audit into Sasse’s spending never existed (The Alligator)

How Ron DeSantis responds to defeat

Florida state parks whistleblower personnel files released by DeSantis admin (Tampa Bay Times) ($)

See also: Whistleblower who warned about Florida state parks fired by state agency (Tampa Bay Times) ($)

See also: State parks whistleblower overwhelmed by praise and more than $207,600 in donations (Palm Beach Post) ($)

See also: The State Wanted Hotels and Golf Courses in Florida Parks. Floridians Revolted (New York Times) ($)

The Florida model

Tampa Electric defends plan to charge residents millions more so big companies save (Tampa Bay Times) ($)

See also: More than 63,000 Florida workers have lost union representation due to new law (WLRN)

See also: Floridians among the most cash-strapped in nation (Axios Tampa Bay)

See also: Millions of Floridians in need of affordable housing, says new report (Central Florida Public Media)

Denialism doesn’t work

How climate change is contributing to the home insurance crisis in Florida and across the country (WUSF)

See also: Climate Losses Batter Insurers While Reinsurers Step Back (Insurance Journal)

Perspectives

Florida’s abortion law almost killed my wife (Miami Herald) ($)