Lindsey Graham wants to get the band back together with a national abortion ban

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     September 13, 2022 In an attempt to apparently unite Republicans and paint the party as more moderate in the wake of Roe's demise, Sen. Lindsey Graham has introduced legislation proposing national abortion restrictions, [the sixth time]( the South Carolina senator has sought to restrict the procedure at the federal level. The plan, [which you can read in full here](, has little chance of becoming law. But [as I wrote today](, the instinct that a federal ban on abortions after 15 weeks, regardless of its political viability, will somehow make Republicans look less cruel at the ballot feels wildly out of touch with the record [levels of outrage]( over the fall of Roe. Sure, Graham's plan includes exceptions for rape and incest and there has been some [public support]( for a 15-week ban. But this new bill is practically a gift for Democrats who can now say it officially: Republicans are damn serious about enacting a national abortion ban. And that could spell trouble for the GOP ahead of the midterms. [Remember what just happened in Kansas](? How much trouble exactly? Well, speaking of the midterms, my colleague Abby Vesoulis reports on the [Michigan ballot measure everyone is watching.]( It seeks to enshrine abortion rights in the state's constitution and could very well reveal just how much voters are being galvanized in the wake of Dobbs: More so than any other individual race or ballot referendum, the results of this measure in this particularly purple state will reveal the degree to which middle-America voters support strong abortion protections in practice rather than in the abstract. This November, Michiganders aren’t merely voting for a US House candidate who promises to advocate for abortion rights in a Congress that has thus far failed to move the needle on the issue, nor are they voting to secure abortion in cases of rape or incest, in the first trimester, or in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy. Instead, for the first time since Roe fell, a swing state comprising many Americans in the center of the I-support-abortion-rights bell curve will have to decide whether to enshrine in their state constitution full abortion rights for all through roughly 23-24 weeks of pregnancy, or leave it up to the whims of future state lawmakers to legislate abortion access. We'll see how things shake out. But for now, let it sit with you that a senior member of the Republican Party personally "[picked](" a national 15-week abortion ban after once supporting the idea that this issue should be determined at the state level—and that he wants the rest of the gang to jump on board. How can anyone deny the extremism at this point? —Inae Oh Advertisement [Morning Brew]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [Abortion Is Galvanizing Voters. Michigan’s Ballot Measure Will Show Us How Much.]( The referendum to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution will be one of the most closely watched in the midterms. BY ABBY VESOULIS SPONSORED CONTENT BY MORNING BREW   Get Smarter in 5 Minutes Join over 4 million people who read Morning Brew - the free daily email covering the latest news across business, finance, and tech. It’s free & only takes 5 minutes to read, so if you’re interested in business, current events, or just want to learn something new there’s really no reason not to try it. [Learn more here](. [Trending] [Lindsey Graham thinks national abortion restrictions will make the GOP look more moderate]( BY INAE OH   [Tina Peters—charged with felonies for trying to prove the Big Lie—won't stop talking]( BY ABIGAIL WEINBERG   [CNN pundit: Biden should invite Trump to attend the Queen’s funeral with him]( BY TOM PHILPOTT   [Marjorie Taylor Greene shows up to celebrate vocational school she won't support in Congress.]( BY STEPHANIE MENCIMER Advertisement [Morning Brew]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [The numbers are striking: This alternative to police is proven to reduce violence.]( Why don't more people trust it? BY SAMANTHA MICHAELS [Fiercely Independent] Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755