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If passed, Amendment 4 would enshrine abortion protections in the Florida constitution. One survey finds that many Catholic voters support the Amendment, which is contrary to church leadership.
Analysis from Catholics for Choice and Mi Vecino showed 62% of Catholic voters saying they support Amendment 4, including 65% of Hispanic Catholic Republicans in Miami-Dade County.
Devon Murphy Anderson is the CEO of Mi Vecino.
“We’ve been on the ground now for a year and a half for Amendment 4, and a lot of attitudes and awareness has shifted in that time period,” Anderson told WMNF.
Anderson, a Catholic herself, said Catholic voters are realizing that Amendment 4 does align with their values.
“In reality, our Catholic values and foundations, understandings of conscience and free will, and prioritizing the marginalized, actually our faith calls us to support reproductive rights,” Anderson said.
This comes as Catholic Church leaders have mostly come out against the Amendment. Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops called the Amendment extreme and recommended a no vote.
Aaron DiPietro is the Legislative Affairs Director for Florida Family Voice, an organization against the amendment.
“Marginalized people are not protected by a lack of definitions, by medical doctors being removed out of the equation, by parental rights and consent being gutted, and by taxpayer dollars being spent on elective abortions.” DiPietro told WMNF.
Governor Ron DeSantis has used taxpayer dollars to try to defeat Amendment 4.
The Amendment needs approval from 60% of voters to pass.
