Miyares also told the AP that he supports Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s plan, which is to ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Under current Virginia law, abortion is legal up to 25 weeks, which is one of the least restrictive standards in the country.
“I agree with the governor,” the attorney general said. “I think particularly in … a swing state like Virginia, that it’s important to try to find consensus. I think that’s what the governor is trying to do.”
Republicans introduced Youngkin’s 15-week ban in January, but the legislation failed to make it out of a Democrat-majority Senate committee. All nine Democrats voted against the bill, as did one Republican — Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant.
Dunnavant proposed legislation that would change the cutoff to the point of fetal viability, which could fall between 22 and 24 weeks, depending on the pregnancy. Viability would have been determined by a physician. This bill failed 9-6 with every Democrat voting against it.
Before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, polling suggested that abortion was not a major issue for most voters. However, once the Supreme Court decision was overturned, abortion became one of the top issues for many voters.
In the 2022 midterm elections, Republicans failed to capitalize on high inflation and economic woes with a big electoral win, instead only gaining a small number of seats in the House of Representatives and losing a seat in the Senate. Many analysts and politicians, including former President Donald Trump, argued that abortion policy was a major factor.