Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo has become one of the first and only Republican governors to sign abortion protections into law.
In the 2022 midterms, Lombardo beat Democrat incumbent Steve Sisolak in the race for governor. Before leaving office, Sisolak drafted an executive order that would prevent the state from outlawing abortion, and would protect patients travelling from other states from being prosecuted.
While campaigning, Lombardo was endorsed by the National Right to Life Committee. However, he promised to uphold a 1990 referendum vote that enshrined the right to an abortion up to 24 weeks in the state constitution. As governors are unable to veto constitutional amendments, Lombardo followed through on his word by signing Sisolak's bill on Tuesday.
Nevada Senate Majority Leader, Democrat Nicole Cannizzaro, praised Lombardo in a tweet for sticking to his campaign promises after the signing, writing: “I want thank him for following through on his commitment to ensure that Nevada won’t participate in prosecutions of women who come here to exercise their reproductive rights.”
Two Republican women supported the measure alongside Democrats, which the Nevada GOP said they were "horrified" by. The only other Republican governors to sign abortion protections have been Vermont Governor Phil Scott and former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker.
According to a Pew Research Center survey, more than 6 in 10 American adults say that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while less than a third say that it should be illegal in all or most cases. Abortion played a huge factor in the 2022 midterm elections, spurring voters to overwhelmingly back Democratic candidates.
Because of abortion, trust in legal institutions such as the Supreme Court is rapidly declining. According to a poll by KFF, only 37 percent of adults trust the nation's most powerful court “a lot” or even “somewhat” to make the right decision on reproductive and sexual health.
