This week, we’re taking a look at a state that normally doesn’t make it on the national radar this close to Election Day: North Dakota. But while the Peace Garden State doesn’t always make waves, it doesn’t mean what happens there is any less significant.
Last Monday, a North Dakota judge doubled down on his decision to temporarily block the state’s trigger ban after the state Supreme Court asked him to take another look—and it should be noted that one of the five justices on the North Dakota Supreme Court, incumbent Daniel Crothers, is running for reelection this Election Day.
Judge Bruce Romanick initially put the trigger ban on hold in July after the Red River Women’s Clinic, formerly the only abortion clinic in North Dakota, filed a lawsuit arguing that the ban violates the state constitution. The judge cited a “substantial probability” that the Red River Women’s Clinic would be successful in challenging the total abortion ban under North Dakota’s state constitution.
The Red River Women’s Clinic has since been forced to relocate to Minnesota, but the judge noted that other medical providers would still be affected by the abortion ban. North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley, who challenged the judge’s original ruling in an effort to enforce the trigger ban, is conveniently also running for reelection.
Meanwhile, anti-abortion lawmakers in North Dakota are working with the North Dakota Catholic Conference—a Catholic bishops group that “works at the appropriate level of government for legislation and regulations that reflect the Gospel message of respecting for human life and promoting the common good”—on legislation addressing medical definitions and procedures, because who needs a medical degree for that?
Suffice it to say, there’s a lot at stake for North Dakota voters and pregnant people on Election Day tomorrow.
This post was adapted from a Twitter thread.
