Ohio, USA

Ohio voters on Tuesday (Nov 7) added abortion rights to the state’s constitution, 17 months after the US Supreme Court struck down Roe vs Wade.

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This was seen as a major political victory for abortion rights activists in the country. Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear also won his re-election bid, and voiced his strong support for abortion rights.

The two victories show abortion rights have emerged as a major political booster for struggling Democrats across the US.

Watch: US court limits access to abortion pills: Biden administration to appeal against ruling

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Interestingly, the ballot measure to add abortion rights to the Constitution was overwhelmingly backed by liberals and Black voters.

The Ohio and Kentucky contests were among several across the US on Tuesday offering critical clues about where the electorate stands ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

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Young vs old on abortion

Earlier, a poll conducted by NBC News showed that the support for abortion rights in Ohio was the strongest amongst those aged under 45. Three-quarters of those cast ballots for "Yes" on Issue 1, which supported abortion rights.

Also read: US appeals court places restrictions on abortion pill mifepristone, Supreme Court to have final say

But voters aged above 45 were heavily divided on the issue. The poll showed that older voters were more likely to say no to abortion rights.

Biden celebrates

US President Joe Biden was quick to praise Ohio's decision, and also dialled Kentucky's Andy Beshear "to congratulate him on his re-election win tonight." 

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"My administration will continue to protect access to reproductive health care," said Biden, who plans to make abortion a key issue in his 2024 re-election campaign.

He also declared on X that "MAGA lost," taking a shot at former President Donald Trump on election night.

(With inputs from agencies)