U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz acknowledges Florida is a "red state."
Still, he agrees with other Democrats who suggest the state is in "play" this November because of two ballot initiatives, including one that would guarantee access to abortion.
"Make no mistake about it. Without those ballot initiatives, I don't think Florida is in play," said the Coral Springs Democrat on MSNBC's The Weekend.
Moskowitz, who noted the nearly one million gap between Republicans and Democrats in terms of active voters, is putting out a message that is not in sync with other Democrats, such as former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who contends that the state is a "purple" battleground state.
Moskowitz also pointed out that the ballot initiatives — including one that allows adult recreational marijuana use — will need a yes vote from 60% of the voters to pass.
But he said that Florida Republicans have given voters a stark choice: Either approve the abortion access amendment or accept a ban on abortions after six weeks. The six-week ban is scheduled to take effect this coming week after the Florida Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge to the state's existing ban on abortions after 15 weeks. In its decision, the court overturned a more than 30-year precedent that had led other abortion restrictions to be blocked.
"This is Florida's chance to get rid of a six-week ban, which is an all-out ban, let's be clear," Moskowitz said.
Moskowitz also added that Florida Republicans "made a mistake with the six-week ban. They are now to the right of Donald Trump."
The Florida Legislature passed the six-week ban, which includes exceptions for rape and incest, during the 2023 session. However, lawmakers put in a provision that tied the effective date of the new ban to the outcome of the legal challenge against the 15-week ban that legislators enacted in 2022.
Trump, who had repeatedly pointed out that he appointed justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who wound up overturning Roe v. Wade, called the six-week ban a "terrible mistake" last September. Earlier this month, he put out a statement that said abortion restrictions should be left to the states. He then told reporters he would sign a national abortion ban into law if he were elected President again.
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