…Researched and contributed by Solomon Thomas.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has recently signed a bill that prohibits abortion six weeks into pregnancies, which progressive groups have already started to use against him ahead of his rumored presidential run in 2024.
DeSantis announced the legislation through a tweet late Thursday, along with a photo of him surrounded by several dozen lawmakers signing the bill.
The bill’s signing was enacted in a private ceremony and was announced after 11 pm, less than two weeks after the state’s Republican-led Senate voted to pass the ban.
Florida will be joining at least a dozen other states that have approved similar bans on abortions after six weeks.
However, this ban is considered controversial since it often makes it too early to spot a pregnancy.
DeSantis’ potential presidential bid relies heavily on support from anti-abortion voters.
However, the six-week ban threatens to cross into fringe territory and could potentially harm his chances come 2024.
Democrats have expressed outrage over the ban and plan to use it to hurt DeSantis’ presidential aspirations.
They vow to make him own this ban and his agenda everywhere he goes.
A national Democratic operative spoke with Politico, saying that they will use different tactics to hang this ‘incredibly toxic abortion ban’ and DeSantis’ agenda around his neck.
Such a move could potentially turn off swing voters in both the primaries and the general election if DeSantis gets that far.
DeSantis has been clamping down on LGBTQ ideals in state-funded public schools and pushing for harsher punishments for repeat offenders, among other issues.
More than a dozen residents of swing states told Politico that plans to hold the ban against DeSantis are already in motion.
These plans include attack ads, door-knocking campaigns in crucial areas, and voter registration drives throughout the country.
With abortion becoming an increasingly prominent issue following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in June, such activities could prove damaging for DeSantis.
While DeSantis has yet to formally announce his presidential aspirations, insiders familiar with his office say that a run is all but certain.
His signing of the six-week abortion ban will likely put him at the center of a heated debate and could potentially affect his chances in the presidential race.