Alabama state House race winner Marilyn Lands’ victory was celebrated by Democrats on Wednesday after she focused her campaign on supporting access to in vitro fertilization (IVF). This victory is being seen as a potential sign for the 2024 election, as Democrats aim to capitalize on the GOP’s support for abortion restrictions, which voters have shown opposition to. Lands, a professional counselor, won the special election by a significant margin, flipping the seat in the Huntsville-area to Democrats’ control.
Lands, who had previously lost the race for the seat in 2022, emphasized her calls to repeal Alabama’s restrictive abortion ban and restore full access to IVF during her campaign. This win is being viewed as a strong message that will be heard not only in Montgomery but across the nation. The Biden campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, referred to Lands’ victory as a warning sign for former President Donald Trump, blaming him for the controversial Alabama Supreme Court ruling that restricts the use of IVF due to his appointment of conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices.
Democrats see Lands’ win as a validation of their strategy to blame the GOP for the IVF ruling, a key issue in the ongoing battle over reproductive rights. They believe this strategy will be effective in the 2024 elections, both against Trump and vulnerable Senate and House Republicans. Polls show that a majority of Americans support access to abortion rights and even more so to IVF. In response, Republicans are working to establish a clear messaging strategy on IVF, trying to separate it from the abortion issue after their previous rhetoric was seen as disjointed and confusing.
Recently, Trump has expressed support for both IVF access and abortion restrictions, which Democrats argue are contradictory stances that cannot coexist. Despite previously avoiding the abortion issue, Trump indicated potential support for a 15-week federal abortion ban and voiced support for IVF following the Alabama decision. The White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, praised Lands’ win and highlighted her commitment to protecting access to reproductive health care, including IVF.
Alabama’s Supreme Court ruling in February declared embryos used in IVF as essentially children, protected under the state’s wrongful death law. The ruling raised concerns about significantly restricting the IVF process, with fears that IVF patients would be unable to freeze embryos. Democrats have criticized Republicans for their support of the reversal of Roe v. Wade, which they argue empowered states to determine when life begins. The National Republican Senatorial Committee issued a memo warning candidates about Democrats potentially using the IVF issue for electoral gain and urged them to clearly state support for IVF and oppose restrictions. Polling has shown strong support for increased access to fertility-related procedures and services.
