Abortion rights are essentially on Ohio's ballot again in 2024

Rep. Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, is the minority leader of the Ohio House.

Two years ago this month, we found out that the Supreme Court was getting ready to overturn Roe v. Wade, a decision that ripped away reproductive rights and would have wide-ranging consequences for women in Ohio and around the country.

When the decision — Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization — eventually came out, Bernie Moreno called that decision “a monumental victory.”

No surprise there, because Moreno once described himself as “100% pro-life with no exceptions.”

While Moreno was celebrating the Dobbs decision, Ohioans got to work organizing to put an amendment on the ballot that would protect abortion rights in the Ohio Constitution and keep out-of-touch politicians like Moreno out of our doctor’s offices.

Once that issue successfully made the ballot (in spite of some political gamesmanship from Republican politicians), Bernie Moreno opposed the abortion rights issue and even donated $100,000 to Protect Women Ohio, the group leading the campaign to defeat November’s Issue 1.

Thankfully, Ohioans came out in full force to support Issue 1 and a women’s right to make healthcare decisions for herself without interference from politicians. The Issue passed with an overwhelming majority.

But Moreno wasn’t done. He then turned right around and called for a national abortion ban that would overrule the will of Ohio voters.

Time and again, Moreno has proven that he’s on the wrong side of this issue and is only looking out for himself.

Ohioans have already experienced firsthand the dangerous results of a restrictive abortion ban for women, their families, and their doctors – this is not hypothetical.

A national abortion ban does not reflect what is best for Ohioans. Last November, Ohioans said loud and clear they want the freedom to make their own healthcare decisions, but Moreno has made it known he will overrule the nearly 2.2 million who voted to protect abortion rights if he is elected to the Senate.

It’s clear that abortion rights are once again on the ballot in 2024.

We must reject politicians like Moreno who want to overrule Ohioans and insert themselves into private, personal decisions that should be made between a woman, her doctor and her family.

Moreno doesn’t care about what’s best for the health and privacy of Ohioans. He doesn’t care that Ohioans have already been clear they support abortion rights. And that’s why we have to make sure Bernie Moreno gets nowhere near the U.S. Senate this November.

Rep. Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, is the minority leader of the Ohio House.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Bernie Moreno wants a national abortion ban to overrule Ohio voters