Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency: Check polling date, candidates list, past election results
In the first phase of the election, Nagpur, one of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies of Maharashtra, will cast its vote on April 19.
‘We will surely win Hyderabad this time…’: BJP’s Madhavi Latha on her chances against Asaduddin Owaisi
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP fielded Bhagavanth Rao against the AIMIM chief. However, the BJP candidate stood a distant second, losing to Owaisi by 2,82,186 votes.
‘I would consider my task done…’: PM Modi opens up on his legacy ahead of seeking record third term
PM Modi said that while most of governments start losing support by the end of the second term, the BJP government is seeing an increase in its support base.
House Republicans blast ‘cry wolf’ conservatives who tanked FISA renewal bill
House Republican lawmakers left a closed-door meeting late on Wednesday afternoon furious at their 19 GOP colleagues who blocked the chamber from advancing a bill to renew a key surveillance tool of the federal government. “When you have a majority, where members in the majority will not support the rules and the procedures set forth by the majority, you effectively are turning control over to the minority party. And that’s what these members are doing,” Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital. It comes after a normally sleepy procedural vote, known as a rule vote, on a bill to reform and renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act failed 193 to 228 Wednesday afternoon — the seventh time a rule vote failed this Congress. Prior to that, a rule vote had not failed in two decades. “Here’s what frustrates me — is that the same members who are taking down this rule are vociferously advocating for reforming FISA. There are 56 major reforms of FISA 702 that are embedded in the base bill. I understand they don’t think those 56 reforms go far enough…But by taking down the rule and by making it impossible to pass this reform base bill, they’re gonna get nothing,” Barr said. Conservative privacy hawks who tanked the bill were angry over how it was handled, including the exclusion of an amendment mandating warrants for the purchase of U.S. citizens’ data from third-party data brokers. But Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., suggested that the group’s tactics on House floor votes take away from their actual goals. “I think people make good, salient arguments. The problem is in the delivery — if all you do is scream, no one listens to you anymore,” he said. “And I think there can be merits on lots of good arguments, but when you cry wolf all the time, when everything’s a no, you undermine your credibility.” A rule vote would typically fall along party lines, with even lawmakers opposed to the bill voting in favor of allowing it to proceed if it was introduced by their own side. However, small factions of the House GOP’s razor-thin majority have weaponized rule votes to kill their own party’s legislation as a form of protest against their leadership. “What I heard in there was that they weren’t p—ed off about the underlying bill. The FISA bill itself was 56 reforms, all that stuff. That’s good,” another GOP lawmaker told Fox News Digital. “Why they voted against the rule, it wasn’t because of the FISA bill itself. It was the process. It was the amendments that they didn’t get allowed to bring to the floor that actually made them move against it.” HOUSE SINKS JOHNSON-BACKED FISA RENEWAL AFTER TRUMP PUSH Section 702 is a tool that allows the federal government to surveil non-Americans on foreign soil with suspected terror links without a warrant, even if the person on the other side of their communications is an American. The fight ahead of its April 19 expiry deadline has put Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in a difficult spot between the House Judiciary Committee and its allies, and the U.S. intelligence community and national security hawks in Congress. The former have cast Section 702 as a tool of exploitation and privacy infringement, while the latter have maintained it’s a narrowly focused tool critical to preventing terror attacks. Another issue for GOP hardliners has been Johnson’s opposition to an amendment backed by Judiciary Republicans, which would force the federal government to seek a warrant to query data about a U.S. citizen. FBI IMPROPERLY USED WARRANTLESS SEARCH POWERS MORE THAN 278,000 TIMES IN 2021, FISA COURT FILING REVEALS One of the 19 Republicans who sunk the bill, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good, R-Va., told reporters, “Some of us would rather see it expire than see it not reformed properly.” But another GOP lawmaker who is supportive of the bill argued that such an amendment would gut the tool’s purpose. They explained that if a suspected terrorist overseas is communicating with a U.S. citizen at home, a Section 702 search would already pick up their specific communications with that U.S. citizen. The amendment would force authorities to seek a warrant before seeing the contents of that communication, which critics have warned could waste valuable time in the event of a serious threat. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, meanwhile, suggested to reporters on Wednesday evening that letting Section 702 expire on April 19 would have dire consequences, warning, “We will go blind on April 20.” FISA COURT OPINION REVEALS A US SENATOR, STATE SENATOR, STATE JUDGE GOT SWEPT UP IN 702 QUERIES “Unfortunately, there’s a great deal of misinformation about FISA. FISA is not a bulk data collection program. It is not spying on Americans,” he continued. “It is collecting foreigners’ data that are abroad that represent a very small group of 250,000 who are a national security threat. Unfortunately, the proposed warrant would render our ability to see communications with people who… are with national security threats like the head of ISIS, head of Hamas, head of Al Qaeda, in an unworkable structure.” It’s not immediately clear what House GOP leaders’ next steps would be. Multiple GOP lawmakers told Fox News Digital that among the considerations are a short-term extension of the current Section 702 program, which both sides of the argument have criticized as ripe for abuse, or being forced to take up the Senate’s renewal bill. Privacy hawks, meanwhile, are pushing Johnson to allow as many amendment votes on the bill as requested to ensure all members have a voice in shaping the bill — even if those amendments would not get past the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Tennessee Senate clears bill making it illegal to assist minors seeking abortions
Republican lawmakers in Tennessee on Wednesday advanced legislation making it illegal for adults to help minors get an abortion without parental consent, sparking objections from Democrats who counter that doing so could result in young victims needing approval from their parents who may have raped them in order to terminate the pregnancies. The GOP-controlled Senate signed off on the proposal 26-3. The bill is still advancing toward the floor in the House. “There are people who are in situations and circumstances that we cannot fathom,” said Democratic state Sen. Raumesh Akbari. “If someone is a victim of rape or incest and a teenager, and they want to seek these services, their abusers can determine if they can access them. That’s a step too far.” TENNESSEE LAWMAKERS PASS BILL ALLOWING TEACHERS TO CARRY GUNS AT SCHOOL 1 YEAR AFTER DEADLY NASHVILLE SHOOTING Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in 2022, anti-abortion advocates have been pushing states to find a way to block pregnant people from crossing state lines to obtain the procedure. So far, Idaho has been the only state to enact a so-called ” abortion trafficking ” law, but a federal judge has temporarily blocked the law after reproductive rights groups sued to challenge it. The first-of-its-kind measure made it illegal to obtain abortion pills for a minor or help them leave the state for an abortion without parental knowledge and consent. Legislation has since been introduced this year in Oklahoma, Mississippi and Tennessee. The Tennessee version would make it illegal for an adult who “recruits, harbors, or transports” a pregnant minor within the state to get an abortion without consent from the minor’s parents or guardians. Supporters have touted the bill as a much needed parental rights protection measure, pointing out that abortion rights groups are increasingly distributing information on how to acquire abortions in states with strict bans. “We’ve decided abortion is only available to save the life of the mother,” said Republican state Sen. Paul Rose. “Unless the parents approve, you cannot take a minor across state lines to get an abortion.” However, critics counter that the bill does not contain exemptions for minors who may have been raped by their parents or guardians. Instead, the legislation states that the biological father of the pregnant minor may not pursue a civil action if the pregnancy was caused by rape. Under the Senate version advanced Wednesday, those convicted of breaking the law would be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, which would require a nearly one year imprisonment sentence. This differs than the proposal being considered in the GOP-controlled House, where supporters want the penalties to be a Class C felony — which can carry up to a 15-year prison sentence and up to $10,000 in fines. Tennessee bans abortions at all stages of pregnancy but there are exemptions in cases of molar pregnancies, ectopic pregnancies, and to remove a miscarriage or to save the life of the mother. Notably, doctors must use their “reasonable medical” judgment — a term that some say is too vague and can be challenged by fellow medical officials — in deciding whether providing the procedure can save the life of the pregnant patient or prevent major injury. A group of women is currently suing to clarify the state’s abortion ban. A court decision is expected soon on whether the lawsuit can continue or if the law can be placed on hold as the legal battle continues.
First Muslim American appellate court nominee faces uphill battle to salvage nomination
WASHINGTON (AP) — The nominee who could become the first Muslim American to serve as a federal appellate court judge is fighting back against characterizations of his work by law enforcement groups that are jeopardizing his nomination. The White House and Senate are doubling down on their efforts to win over lawmakers on the fence, but it may be too late. Adeel Mangi received law degrees from Oxford and Harvard. He works in a prestigious law firm and has secured significant legal victories. But his limited volunteer work with two outside groups has imperiled his nomination. SENATE DEMOCRATS COULD SPOIL BIDEN’S MUSLIM JUDICIAL NOMINEE OVER ‘DEEPLY CONCERNING’ TIES Some law enforcement groups have told lawmakers that Mangi’s work as an advisory board member for the Alliance of Families for Justice is disqualifying. That’s peeling off support — not only from key Democrats but from some Republicans who have been at times willing to support President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees. Mangi has taken the unusual step of writing his home state senator to explain his work with the alliance. To counter the police groups in opposition, he and the White House are emphasizing that other law enforcement groups back him. The intensity of the fight underscores the high stakes as Biden and Democrats strive to shape the makeup of the federal judiciary while they have control of the White House and Senate. The Alliance of Families for Justice provides legal assistance for people in prison and resources for their families, including counseling. Law enforcement groups have highlighted that Kathy Boudin served as a board member for the group after serving more than two decades behind bars for her role in a fatal 1981 armored truck robbery. The robbery resulted in the killing of a security guard and two police officers. During her time in prison, Boudin expressed remorse and worked to help inmates with AIDS. She also developed a program on parenting behind bars. She continued efforts to help the incarcerated and their families after her parole. Law enforcement groups in New York were incensed at her release and the state’s governor at the time voiced his opposition. The National Association of Police Organizations said Mangi’s work with the group “shows an anti-victim and anti-police bias that would certainly cloud his decision-making as a judge.” The National Sheriffs’ Association also voiced “united opposition” to his nomination. Three Democrats have come out against Mangi’s confirmation: Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sens. Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, both of Nevada. The Nevada senators specifically cited law enforcement opposition in their reasoning. Their stance means Mangi will almost certainly need the support of some Republicans to be confirmed, and there are scant signs of such support. Democrats aren’t giving up. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said “there are conversations going on on both sides of the aisle” about the nomination. Mangi forcefully denied that he has an anti-police bias in the letter he wrote Booker, saying “any suggestion that I have sympathy for attacks on law enforcement is shocking and false.” He said the advisory board he was invited to serve on at the Alliance of Families for Justice has never even met. He was invited to serve on that board based on his leading a pro bono lawsuit related to the death of a mentally ill, black inmate at Sullivan Correctional Facility in New York. That lawsuit led to a historic settlement that included a requirement for cameras and microphones throughout the prison, which he said increased safety for corrections officers. He said he did not litigate any more cases based on referrals from the group. He also made clear the advocacy group has an entirely separate board of directors responsible for oversight and governance. He never had any role with the governing board. As to Boudin, he does not recall meeting her, and to the extent there was a fellowship in her name, he was not involved. Mangi noted that some law enforcement groups are backing him, including the Hispanic American Law Enforcement Association and the Muslim American Law Enforcement Association. The International Law Enforcement Officers Association urged the Senate to swiftly confirm Mangi, saying “his record clearly demonstrates his respect for the rule of law and the vital role of law enforcement in promoting public safety.” In recent days, senior White House officials, including chief of staff Jeff Zients, have sought to rescue Mangi’s nomination. They’ve called senators to stress his legal credentials and to decry what the administration characterizes as smears. “Some Senate Republicans and their extreme allies are relentlessly smearing Adeel Mangi with baseless accusations that he is anti-police,” Zients said. “That could not be further from the truth and the close to a dozen law enforcement organizations that have endorsed him agree. The Senate must confirm Mr. Mangi without further delay.” Mangi’s nomination has also generated criticism from some Jewish groups, who are highlighting his past affiliation with the Center for Security, Race and Rights at Rutgers University. The center engages in research and education on policies that adversely impact America’s Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities. Mangi served on an advisory board for about four years until mid-2023. He said his work was limited to participating in four meetings over four years that were focused on academic research. Republicans have looked to associate him with remarks from others at the center that they view as antisemitic. He was asked about numerous speakers the center has hosted and whether he agreed with their statements. Mangi said he should not be held accountable for statements made by others at events he was unaware of until senators brought it up at his confirmation hearing. The Anti-Defamation League has defended Mangi, saying he was subjected to aggressive questioning unrelated to his professional expertise. The ADL is considered a leader in efforts to fight antisemitism. “Just as associating Jewish American with certain views or beliefs regarding Israeli government actions would be deemed antisemitic, berating the first American
Trump visits Atlanta Chick-fil-A, buys customers chicken and shakes
Former President Donald Trump, while out on the campaign trail, stopped by an Atlanta Chick-fil-A restaurant on Wednesday, where he chatted with staff and treated customers inside the store to chicken and milkshakes. In one video, Trump is seen surrounded by a group of suit-wearing individuals. The former president flattered crew members and customers while having his picture taken with them and asking if everyone was having a good time. In another video posted by the Right Side Broadcasting Network, Trump asked the restaurant staff for 30 milkshakes and some chicken before telling them he was going to take care of all the customers. FIRST ON FOX: CRUZ HAULS IN NEARLY $10 MILLION PAST THREE MONTHS IN BRUISING RE-ELECTION BID “So, is this good?” he asked, to which the staff replied with a yes and a nod. Trump then asked the staff members if they were making a lot of money and if they were going to get rich. Of the 30 milkshakes, Trump told the staff he was going to hand them out to the customers and take some for his entourage. TRUMP WORKS TO CATCH UP WITH BIDEN IN 2024 CASH DASH The person capturing the moment on video pointed out to the former president that Chick-fil-A was a “great American franchise.” “It is. It’s a great franchise. The owner is a great man who is a member of one of my clubs, and he’s fantastic,” Trump said. “They do very well, and they’re closed on Sunday.” The videographer then jokingly said, “It’s the Lord’s chicken,” and Trump agreed. “It’s the Lord’s chicken, you’re right,” he said. “It’s good chicken, too.” TRUMP COULD HAUL IN MASSIVE AMOUNT OF CAMPAIGN CASH DURING ATLANTA, ORLANDO FUNDRAISING SWING: WHAT TO KNOW Trump then started handing out the shakes to customers who wanted one. The presidential candidate is expected to haul in roughly $15 million at top dollar fundraisers on Wednesday in Atlanta and Orlando, Florida. His first stop was Atlanta, and he was scheduled to meet with some of Georgia’s most prominent MAGA supporters, including former Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, who both narrowly lost their seats in January 2021. Trump was also expected to meet with Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus and beer, wine and spirits magnate Don Leeburn III. When he finishes in Atlanta, Trump is expected to go to Orlando, where attorney Dan Newlin will host a fundraiser at his home for the former president. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Cornel West announces BLM activist, professor Melina Abdullah as VP pick
Long-shot presidential candidate Cornel West tapped Melina Abdullah, a professor and one of the co-founders of Black Lives Matter, as his running mate for his independent presidential bid. West announced his pick on Wednesday’s episode of “The Tavis Smiley Radio Show” on KBLA radio. “I wanted somebody whose heart, mind, and soul is committed to the empowerment of poor and working peoples of all colors,” West said. “Melina has a history of longevity of putting her heart, mind and soul in the struggle.” CORNEL WEST DITCHES GREEN PARTY; NOW RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT AS AN INDEPENDENT West commended Abdullah’s “unique Black analysis and witness” and “keen intellect.” “At this historic and pivotal moment, it is my profound honor to stand alongside my dear sister, Dr. Melina Abdullah, a fierce and tireless advocate for truth, justice, and transformative change,” West said in a press release. “Sister Melina’s incredible courage, keen intellect, and deep vision have greatly served the cause of liberation in education, worker rights, and both racial and gender justice. Her unique Black analysis and witness helps us confront our crumbling era of empire, white supremacy, and patriarchy. I look forward to working with her as we strengthen our commitment in our campaign for truth, justice and love!” Abdullah, a professor of Pan-African studies and formerly chaired the Department of Pan-African Studies at Cal State, said that her “heart just soared” when she was asked to be West’s vice president. “I regard [West], and many of us regard him as one of the most brilliant people to walk this earth, and so I’ve been following him and have been really enthusiastic about his candidacy,” Abdullah said on Smiley’s show. “He and his wife, Annahita, asked and immediately my heart just soared,” she said. “I said ‘yes’ immediately. Like, shouted ‘yes.’” Abdullah said that she first met West when she was an undergraduate student at Howard University, but the pair recently reconnected at a Black Lives Matter event. The professor also discussed her Muslim faith during the segment, sharing that she hopes to bridge divisions. CORNEL WEST SAYS DEMOCRATIC PARTY ‘BEYOND REDEMPTION’ “When we talk about Islam we talk about people who submit to the will of God,” Abdullah said. “Christianity and Islam and every other faith, if you think about the core of who we are as spiritual people, we’re all aligned.” Abdullah has been outspoken on X, comparing the New York Police Department as the KKK. “The KKK, the police, and government officials are one in the same,” she wrote in a X post in Dec. 2023. After the release of Beyoncé’s latest album release last month, which features the singer holding an American flag, Abdullah wrote on X, “The #AmericanFlag symbolizes the genocide of Indigenous people, the theft of their land, the enslavement, dehumanization, and exploitation of Black people, and settler colonialism. Critique around @Beyonce’s artistic choice is important and healthy, not hate.” West’s campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Ohio Gov. DeWine delivers child-focused State of the State address
Improving access to child care and kids’ health care form the core elements of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s agenda in 2024, as the second-term Republican rolled out a slate of policy priorities focusing on children to state lawmakers Wednesday. DeWine, speaking in the House of Representatives’ chamber in the Statehouse, delivered his State of the State address to a joint session of the GOP-controlled Legislature, a preview of his budget and policy plans for 2024. To a great extent, DeWine focused on improving health care and student learning, as well as things he said can boost Ohio’s economy, including efforts to expand child care and keeping more college graduates in the state. OHIO GOV. DEWINE SAYS PRECAUTIONS ENSURE ‘A GREAT DAY’ IN LEADUP TO ECLIPSE He said he wants to build on previous efforts to expand subsidized child care, college tuition and technical education offerings in high schools. “The single most important thing we can do for Ohio’s future is to ensure that all Ohio children — all Ohio children, no matter where they live, no matter who their parents are — have the opportunity to live up to their full God-given potential and they have the chance to pursue their dreams and their passions in life,” DeWine said. DeWine said he wants to create a child care voucher program for families that meet income eligibility requirements and to use $85 million in federal funding for grants to expand child care offerings. The voucher program would be open to families that make up to 200% of the federal poverty level, or $60,000 for a family of four. He estimated that it would help 8,000 children. He did not say how much money it would require, or what sort of grant would be available to each family. Saying the state needs to retain more of its college graduates, DeWine said he wants to start collecting data that measures how many graduates get jobs within six months. He framed the effort as an accountability measure that will help students in picking a higher education institution to attend. As part of an effort to help children learn, DeWine said he wants to ensure every child who fails a vision screening test in school can get a follow-up eye exam and, if needed, a pair of eyeglasses. Too many do not, he said, announcing a “Children’s Vision Strike Force” to work with vision care professionals. “Ohio has never had a statewide plan to ensure that every Ohio child who needs glasses will get glasses,” DeWine said. “Now we do.” DeWine pledged to improve various aspects of health care for infants and schoolchildren. Every school should consider starting a school-based health clinic, DeWine said. His administration could help with technical assistance, he said. He said his administration will launch a new pilot program in 11 counties to offer every new mother a visit from a nurse about three weeks after delivering a baby. Visiting nurses can help parents find medical support, navigate breastfeeding or other aspects of caring for an infant, DeWine said. Similar programs have a track record of reducing infant mortality, emergency room visits, postpartum depression and child protective services investigations, DeWine said. He also said he wants to expand a quick-response service for children in mental health crisis from 38 to all 88 counties. On public health and safety, DeWine asked lawmakers to ban marijuana use in public after Ohio voters approved a measure last year legalizing recreational marijuana, defying Republican legislative leaders who had refused to pass it. He asked lawmakers to toughen seat-belt laws, require schools to minimize cellphone use by students in classrooms, and write new legislation to require parental consent for children under 16 to use social media apps. An existing law DeWine signed is blocked by a court. “We need to go after the social media companies that are targeting our kids — addicting them and then monetizing that addiction,” DeWine said. “What they are doing is shameful.” He also called for lawmakers to outlaw flavored vaping and flavored cigarettes and ban the sale to children of delta-8 THC, a mildly intoxicating sibling of delta-9 THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana.
What to know about the Arizona Supreme Court’s reinstatement of an 1864 near-total abortion ban
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Supreme Court has delivered a landmark decision in giving the go-ahead to enforce a long-dormant law that bans nearly all abortions, drastically altering the legal landscape for terminating pregnancies in the state. The law predating Arizona’s statehood provides no exceptions for rape or incest and allows abortions only if the mother’s life is in jeopardy. Arizona’s highest court suggested doctors can be prosecuted under the 1864 law, though the opinion written by the court’s majority didn’t explicitly say that. ARIZONA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS NEAR-TOTAL ABORTION BAN The Tuesday decision threw out an earlier lower-court decision that concluded doctors couldn’t be charged for performing abortions in the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. HOW WE GOT HERE The law was enacted decades before Arizona became a state on Feb. 14, 1912. A court in Tucson had blocked its enforcement shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing the constitutional right to an abortion. After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe decision in June 2022, then-Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, successfully requested that a state judge lift an injunction that blocked enforcement of the 1864 ban. The state Court of Appeals suspended the law as Brnovich’s Democratic successor, Attorney General Kris Mayes, urged the state’s high court to uphold the appellate court’s decision. WHO CAN BE PROSECUTED UNDER THE 1864 LAW? The law orders prosecution for “a person who provides, supplies or administers to a pregnant woman, or procures such woman to take any medicine, drugs or substance, or uses or employs any instrument or other means whatever, with intent thereby to procure the miscarriage of such woman, unless it is necessary to save her life.” The Arizona Supreme Court suggested in its ruling Tuesday that physicians can be prosecuted, though justices didn’t say that outright. “In light of this Opinion, physicians are now on notice that all abortions, except those necessary to save a woman’s life, are illegal” the ruling said. The justices noted additional criminal and regulatory sanctions may apply to abortions performed after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The law carries a sentence of two to five years in prison upon conviction. Lawyers for Planned Parenthood Arizona said they believe criminal penalties will apply only to doctors. The high court said enforcement won’t begin for at least two weeks. However, plaintiffs say it could be up to two months, based on an agreement in a related case to delay enforcement if the justices upheld the pre-statehood ban. POLITICS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE The ruling puts the issue of abortion access front and center in a battleground state for the 2024 presidential election and partisan control of the U.S. Senate. Democrats immediately pounced on the ruling, blaming former President Donald Trump for the loss of abortion access because he appointed the justices who formed the majority that ended the national right to abortion. President Joe Biden and his allies are emphasizing efforts to restore abortion rights, while Trump has avoided endorsing a national abortion ban and warned that the issue could lead to Republican losses. The decision will give Arizona the strictest abortion law of the top-tier battleground states. Staunch Trump ally and abortion opponent Kari Lake is challenging Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who isn’t seeking a second term. WHAT’S NEXT? Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs called on the state Legislature to repeal the ban. “They could do that today,” she said Wednesday in an interview on “CBS Mornings.” “They could gavel in today and make a motion to repeal this ban,” Hobbs said. “And they should do that. I’m hopeful that they will because this will have devastating consequences for Arizona.” Under a near-total ban, the number of abortions in Arizona is expected to drop drastically from about 1,100 monthly, as estimated by a survey for the Society of Family Planning. This past summer, abortion rights advocates began a push to ask Arizona voters to create a constitutional right to abortion. If proponents collect enough signatures, Arizona would become the latest state to put the question of reproductive rights directly before voters. The proposed constitutional amendment would guarantee abortion rights until a fetus could survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks. It also would allow later abortions to save the mother’s life, or to protect her physical or mental health.