BRADENTON, Florida — Deep in red southwest Florida, a group of mostly Republican women gathered Tuesday evening to talk about a ballot initiative that seeks to abolish Florida’s ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.
But instead of falling in line with restrictions backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state’s Republican party, the group spent more than two hours inside a waterside clubhouse for a gated community along the Manatee River, listening intently to a discussion led by a local obstetrician who supports the measure.
“It will make me so happy to know that people will be entering those voting booths knowing that they can vote with their conscience,” attendee Sue Revell said at the end of the event. “And they will cast their ballot without any government interference.”
Revell was among more than 30 people who turned out for the event hosted by a coalition of conservative women in favor of the ballot initiative. Most attendees preferred not to be identified or quoted at the event because they feared professional repercussions from within their own party or tension with those closest to them.