Mesa, Scottsdale Republicans criticize trio, Democrats in approving abortion ban repeal

Republicans from Mesa and Scottsdale were among those who blasted their colleagues and Democrats on Wednesday during what amounted to the first vote to repeal Arizona’s 1864 law that bans abortion.

The 32-28 vote came after heated opposition from most Republicans, with foes of House Bill 2677 describing abortions as “barbaric,” comparing it to slavery, and linking it to attempts by eugenicists to control the Black population. But three Republicans — Tim Dunn of Yuma, and Matt Gress and Justin Wilmeth, both of Phoenix — voted with all the Democrats to provide the margin for approval.

During Wednesday’s debate, multiple foes made it clear that, even at 15 weeks this is not something that should be allowed in Arizona.

“Abortion is barbaric,” said Rep. Jacqueline Parker, R-Mesa.

“It is akin to slavery,’’ she said. “It is establishing a baby is mere property that can be disposed of as the property owner sees fit.”

Rep. Rachel Jones, R-Tucson, said about half of all abortions are a surgical procedure, claiming that “they do rip the baby’s limbs off.” But most reliable medical information says that is necessary only in a small number of such cases where it is otherwise impossible to remove a baby from the womb.

And Rep. David Marshall, R-Snowflake, who is Black, said there is a disparity among races. He cited a decade-old report to Congress by the Centers for Disease Control that said Black women make up 14% of the child-bearing population “yet obtained 36.2% of reported abortions.”

Overall, Marshall said, Black women are far more likely to obtain an abortion than a white woman.

“Blacks have been unwitting victims of a hidden racist agenda of those behind abortion and birth control organizations because they believe they were receiving a new civil rights choice,” he said.

Gress and Wilmeth have said many of their constituents do not support the 1864 law. But they also face a political reality: Both are in districts where voters have shown they are as likely to elect a Democrat as a Republican.

Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, lashed out at Republicans who appeared to be concerned about losing their 2024 elections if they back the old law.

“We’re talking about killing infants,” he said.

“Let’s think about that,’’ Kolodin continued. “We’re willing to kill infants in order to win an election.”

Supporters of repeal, who were beaten back in prior efforts in the past two weeks, pretty much stayed silent on Wednesday once they were sure they had the votes.