LIVE UPDATES
The US state of Ohio voted Tuesday to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution, while the Democratic governor of Kentucky won reelection, in results that boosted President Joe Biden ahead of the 2024 White House race.
The "yes" vote victory in Ohio's referendum, known as Issue 1, inserts the right in the Republican-run state's constitution for residents to "make and carry out one's own reproductive decisions," including on abortion.
A watch party of "yes" campaigners exploded with joy as the projected results were announced in the midwestern state's capital Columbus, with many erupting into tears, screams and hugs.
"I don't even have the words to express it," 27-year-old campaigner Summer McClain told AFP, while other organizers broke into cries of "Abortion is health care," "Abortion is a winning issue" and "Your body, your rights."
Reproductive rights were also in the spotlight in the Kentucky governor's race as the conservative-leaning southern state was projected to re-elect incumbent Democratic Governor Andy Beshear, who made abortion rights a key issue in his battle against Republican Daniel Cameron.
In Virginia, Republican hopes for legislative wins that would allow them to tighten abortion restrictions appeared all but dashed as Democrats seemed poised to take several key state General Assembly seats.
Biden celebrated the Ohio result, saying that voters "rejected attempts by MAGA Republican elected officials to impose extreme abortion bans that put the health and lives of women in jeopardy," referring to his likely 2024 opponent Donald Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again."
"This extreme and dangerous agenda is out of step with the vast majority of Americans," he added.
The president, who faces grim polling numbers and harsh criticism over his handling of Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza, pointed to Tuesday's election outcomes as a galvanizing moment for his own re-election campaign.
"Voters vote. Polls don't. Now let's go win next year," he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. AFP
