The Arizona Supreme Court made headlines last week when it held that a long dormant Civil War-era statute banning almost all abortions was still good law in that state. Enacted as part of the so-called Howell Code, long before Arizona achieved statehood, it allowed for abortion only to save the life of the mother, and not in cases of rape or incest.

The court decided that the 1864 law took precedence over a less stringent ban on abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy that became law in 2002. As CBS News notes, “The 2022 ban included exceptions in cases of medical emergencies and restrictions on medication abortion, and it requires an ultrasound before an abortion and parental consent for minors.”

Coming on the heels of Donald Trump’s statement that the legal status of abortion should be left to the states, the Arizona case ignited a firestorm of protest from supporters of reproductive freedom for women, particularly focused on the political consequences of the court’s decision.

"What's happening in Arizona is only possible because Donald Trump overturned Roe v. Wade,” said Jen Cox, senior adviser for President Joe Biden's campaign in Arizona. "It's cruel and it's a direct threat to our health and freedoms."

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), majority leader of the U.S. Senate, predicted that the decision will resonate in the elections this fall. “The American people,” he observed, “know where the Democrats are, know where the Republicans are, and this is going to be a large........

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