AURN News with Ebony McMorris

Election Day Brings Key Races in Ohio, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Virginia Amid Abortion and Justice Debates

Ebony McMorris
November 6, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Tuesday kicks off Election Day and there are several critical elections that will shape the political landscape.

In Ohio, abortion rights activists are facing a pivotal moment. Ohio could now restore abortion standards and mandate life and health exceptions. The decision would also block a controversial six-week abortion ban.

Kentucky Governor and Democratic candidate for re-election Andy Beshear speaks to supporters during a stop of his statewide bus tour in Richmond, Ky., Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

In Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear, a rare red state Democrat, faces a tough re-election battle against Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Cameron’s controversial record on criminal justice, especially regarding the murder of Breonna Taylor, has made this race a nail-biter.

FILE – Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announces the state-imposed boil-water notice has been lifted in Mississippi’s capital city after nearly seven weeks during a Sept. 15, 2022, news conference in Jackson, Miss. Reeves responded Monday, Nov. 7, to a congressional probe into the crisis that left 150,000 people in the state’s capital city without running water for several days in late summer. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

In Mississippi’s governor’s race, Republican incumbent Tate Reeves is battling allegations of misusing federal funds, while Democratic candidate Brandon Presley aims to tap into his moderate to conservative message and strong support from the state’s Black community.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, speaks to members of the media after the General Assembly adjourned for the year inside the Rotunda of the State Capitol Building, late Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Youngkin said he was disappointed that the 15-week pain threshold abortion bill failed to pass the Senate, stating that a majority of Virginians support the bill. (AP Photo/John C. Clark)

Finally, in Virginia, Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin is making a strong push to reshape the state’s legislature. He’s striving to shift the balance of power in both houses, highlighting his stance on a 15-week abortion ban.

Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.

White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris is a native Washingtonian and University of South Carolina alumna. Her passion is mentoring young adults by teaching community empowerment and media education. She is an NAB member and board member of the Thurgood Marshall Center and was presented the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing more than 4,000 hours of community service under the Obama Administration.