Anti-abortion advocates test contrasting strategies in Missouri and Virginia

Anti-abortion advocates are testing contrasting strategies in Missouri and Virginia ahead of Nov. 3 ballot measures, pairing a campaign backed by prominent Republicans in Missouri with a locally organized effort led by advocacy groups, physicians, and churches in Virginia.The campaigns could offer lessons for anti-abortion groups, which have struggled to win statewide abortion votes since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. But their goals differ. Missouri advocates are seeking to repeal a constitutional amendment voters approved two years ago, while Virginia opponents are working to keep a new amendment out of their state constitution.National anti-abortion groups have concentrated resources on Missouri, where the campaign supporting Amendment 3 has raised $8.6 million, compared with $1.3 million raised by opponents of Virginia’s Question 1, according to their respective October filings. Both campaigns have been outraised by abortion-rights groups. Missouri’s Amendment 3 would repeal the constitutional protection for abortion through fetal viability that voters approved in 2024 and prohibit gender transition procedures for minors, a combination supporters hope will broaden the measure’s appeal among conservative voters.Virginia’s Question 1 would establish a constitutional right to reproductive freedom, including abortion. Opponents have centered their campaign on arguments that the amendment would weaken existing medical safeguards, including the requirement that three physicians approve third-trimester abortions under specified circumstances.Former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey at a Yes on 3 rally in Arnold, Missouri, on October 28, 2026. (Kathleen Worethmore, provided by Her Health, Her Future PAC) Missouri draws firepower The campaign to get Missouri’s Amendment 3 over the finish line has drawn considerable support from key figures in the Show Me State GOP.Missouri first lady Claudia Kehoe leads the Her Health, Her Future PAC that is the leading organization supporting Amendment 3. Former state Attorney General Andrew Bailey created another PAC, Vote Yes on Amendment 3, to build support for the measure.Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) has also been involved in the campaign against Amendment 3. Hawley’s consulting team produced the first video ad for Vote Yes on Amendment 3, a spokesperson for the PAC confirmed to the Kansas City Star earlier this month.“Missourians have the chance to ban late-term abortions and stop crazy transgender surgeries on minor children once and for all,” Hawley told the Washington Examiner. “It is time to stand for innocent children at this critical hour.”Gov. Mike Kehoe (R-MO) told the Washington Examiner he believes having the transgender medicine issue connected to abortion in Amendment 3 will be helpful in getting the measure passed.“When you talk about transgender surgery, there’s no conversation about what’s right and wrong for somebody under 18 years old,” Kehoe said. “And so I think that gives that piece of it is a lot more black and white than, unfortunately, sometimes a pro-life conversation can be.”Kelsey Pritchard, a spokeswoman for SBA Pro-Life America, a national anti-abortion group, told the Washington Examiner ahead of the election that outspoken elected leaders to articulate the cause, like Kehoe, Hawley, and Bailey, are essential to victory to passing anti-abortion ballot measures or thwarting pro-abortion initiatives.The abortion-rights amendments that failed in 2024 in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota did so, Pritchard says, because Republicans campaigned against them.“It really takes people in the GOP who have a leadership position to speak out and to make the case that these things are extreme and not to be deceived by the language,” Pritchard said. In less than three weeks, we have the chance in Missouri to ban late-term abortions and stop crazy transgender surgeries on minor children. VOTE YES on 3 pic.twitter.com/8ZCpNqMQsV— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) October 16, 2026 Virginia depends on grassroots and Christian campaign Despite not having statewide elected leaders on their side or the deeper pockets of national anti-abortion groups, state-based organizations and Christian groups opposed to abortion have been engaged in an intense ground campaign for several years against the abortion amendment.Virginia’s network of anti-abortion pregnancy resource centers have organized opposition to the amendment. Several other groups have waged a campaign against Question 1, including the Virginia Family Foundation, the Virginia Society for Human Life, Virginia Medical Professionals for Women’s Safety, and Virginians for Safe Reproductive Policy.Dr. Timothy Boley, a Virginia-licensed physician who practiced maternal-fetal medicine for more than 35 years and helped organize Virginia Medical Professionals for Women’s Safety, said his opposition centers on patient safety.“This isn’t about restricting abortion. This is about providing safe healthcare,” Boley told the Washington Examiner.Boley argued the amendment could undermine regulations pertaining to abortion procedures, including by allowing practitioners who are not licensed to perform abortions handle such procedures.“We’re talking about people’s lives here,” Boley said. “If you don’t have good regulations and laws to protect people’s healthcare, I mean, it is a terrible road to go down.”Boley also emphasized that rejecting the amendment would leave Virginia’s existing abortion laws in place, including access to elective abortions during the first and second trimesters.“Voting no is the best way to go. Things will remain the same,” he said of women being able to have ease of access for abortion procedures in the state.The Virginia Catholic Conference, covering the two dioceses of Richmond and Arlington, has been the leading religious force in rallying against the amendment. Bishop of Arlington Michael Burbidge and Bishop of Richmond Barry Knestout issued a letter in August calling the measure “extreme, dangerous, and horrific.” The letter was read in all Catholic parishes across the state to inform parishioners about the amendment.Kristen Day, president of the anti-abortion group Democrats for Life of America, told the Washington Examiner churches throughout the commonwealth have engaged in handwritten postcard mailings to inform voters about Question 1 as well as public forums and other events to raise awareness on the issue.Day said she believes there has not been much attention from the national anti-abortion groups in the commonwealth “because the Virginia pro-life groups are so coordinated and organized that we have a great ground game.”“We’re not sitting back quietly and doing nothing,” Day said.Legal strategy in Virginia could upend election results Even if Virginia voters approve Question 1, opponents will have another opportunity to block it in court. A Nov. 13 hearing is scheduled on a request for a preliminary injunction to prevent certification of the referendum results, according to the Virginia Mercury.Founding Freedoms Law Center, which launched the challenge in April, argues that lawmakers failed to follow required procedures and that the ballot language is misleading. The procedural dispute centers on a requirement to distribute amendment text to circuit court clerks for public posting, which lawmakers retroactively repealed.Day said the Founding Freedoms Law Center challenge is similar to the May 2026 Virginia Supreme Court decision invalidating a proposed redistricting referendum because of improper procedures, despite the two cases having different alleged procedural violations.MAHA HEAVYWEIGHTS TRY TO PUT LAHN OVER THE TOP IN IOWA GOVERNOR’S RACE“It seems like our side has a good chance of winning this because it’s when you look at the redistricting, they didn’t follow proper procedure on redistricting, and it was thrown out,” Day said.Virginians for Reproductive Freedom has joined the case as a co-defendant. In a separate, similar challenge that was dismissed over the summer, the attorney general’s office argued that lawmakers have the authority to change the process they prescribe for constitutional amendments. Liberty Counsel is appealing that dismissal.