Liberal critics and advocates of abortion rights are fuming after Florida voters rejected Amendment 4, which aimed to enshrine the constitutional right to abortion. The failure of the amendment has been described as ‘openly fascist’ by some commentators, who argue it reflects the sway of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and his administration over the electorate.
MSNBC host Joy Reid highlighted the stakes on air, claiming DeSantis exerted ‘threats’ and used governmental power to undermine the amendment. She asserted, “He’s put everything on it, including… whatever it takes to try to make sure the amendment fails…”
The Heartbeat Protection Act, enacted the previous year, limits abortions after six weeks—a move DeSantis extolled as steering Florida away from the pro-choice movement. This fall, Florida’s Amendment 4 was positioned as not just a political measure but fundamentally about women’s rights, aiming to overturn the previous restrictive law. Yet, it drifted to defeat.
To pass, Florida’s constitutional amendments need at least 60% of voter approval—a bar set deliberately high. Despite securing majority support, Amendment 4 didn’t come close to this threshold, receiving only 57%. Many observers expressed disappointment, with Democrats and pro-choice advocates criticizing the outcome as emblematic of larger societal shifts.
DeSantis touted the victory as protection for the pro-life movement, claiming it signifies strong support for anti-abortion sentiments among Floridians. He warned back in September, as the campaign heated up, “If you care about building a culture of life…the victory winning here really signifies the end of the pro-life movement.”
Critics of the amendment have shown no hesitation to voice their joy at its defeat. A Rolling Stone headline dubbed it “Desantis' Dirty Tricks Pay Off as Florida Abortion Measure Fails.” Amidst the backlash, social media platforms lit up with vehement reactions from liberal commentators and voters expressing outrage at the rejection.
Commentators, including those from left-wing media outlets, didn't hold back on social media. Expletives flew at both DeSantis and so-called ‘ignorant’ voters who turned down the measure. Supporters of Amendment 4 had argued it was necessary to protect both women’s health and phantom rights asserted by the state's current abortion laws.
The proposed amendment made clear: “No law should prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health.” Yet, the pushback from Republican lawmakers and religious groups was strong, labeling such measures as steps toward late-term abortion legality.
Catholic leaders rallied against the amendment, branding it ‘extremely grave’ and urging voters to oppose it, claiming it could endanger lives and women’s mental health alike. Their strong stance emphasized traditional views held by many within the state’s GOP and aligned religious communities.
After the amendment's failure, those aligned with pro-life principles celebrated, declaring their victory as protective for the state’s most vulnerable populations. Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote, released a statement asserting: “Proponents of Amendment 4 used fearmongering and disinformation… But Floridians rejected the proposal when they learned it would open the floodgates for abortion.”
Interestingly, even with the setback for abortion rights, the percentage of votes for Amendment 4 mirrored closely President Donald Trump’s own success. The breakdown provided insights indicating 57%, almost identical to Trump's 56% when he swept the state during his victory.
Yet, the incongruity struck many as the same voters who supported the amendment were also returning to fertilize the legislature nearly entirely composed of representatives who had previously supported the aggressive abortion ban. Republican leaders are not expected to view this electoral outcome as license to revisit abortion rights anytime soon.
Florida’s political demographics appear entrenched, as legislative leaders like Senate President Ben Albritton deem there to be little justification for reconsidering abortion rights legislation.
“I don’t see the need to revisit the issue,” he said pointedly, indicating firm commitment to the status quo.
Moving forward, abortion rights advocates face the challenge of rallying their voters again against legislative barriers entrenched by the GOP. Commentators now suggest the failings of Amendment 4 serve as both warning and call to action, as they plot future legislative strategies from the basis of recent voter sentiments. According to Lauren Brenzel, campaign director for Yes on 4, “The people have spoken… repeal Florida’s extreme ban.”