MAGA in the States: Trump Leads MAGA Republicans into Chaos 

Instead of learning from Americans’ continued rejection of their extreme agenda, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are doubling down on their relentless assault on Americans’ fundamental freedoms.

Trump’s extreme, unpopular agenda continues to send MAGA Republicans in states across the country into a tailspin as their fundraising dries up and internal chaos takes center stage.

Take a look at the latest:

Trump’s MAGA minions continue to attack women’s reproductive freedoms in the states – with devastating consequences for Americans across the country.

Louisiana Illuminator: “Louisiana lawmaker shelves IVF protection bill, leaving questions about legal challenges”

“Legislation to ensure in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment remains legal in Louisiana in spite of a strict abortion ban has been scuttled over language the state’s powerful anti-abortion lobby refused to remove from the bill.” […] 

“She could not convince her fellow lawmakers to drop a reference to embryos being ‘biological human beings,’ from the legislation. The characterization would have left doctors and other medical providers offering IVF open to criminal charges and civil lawsuits, according to attorneys she consulted. 

“Murder and other crimes are defined as the killing or hurting of ‘human beings’ in Louisiana law. By also defining embryos as ‘human beings,’ lawmakers would leave the door open to prosecuting IVF medical providers if embryos were damaged or destroyed, according to some attorneys. 

“Anti-abortion lawmakers who dominate the Louisiana Legislature refused to strike the ‘human being’ reference from the bill at Davis’ request earlier this month. Louisiana Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion organization, would likely have opposed the bill without the language.”

Huffpost: “Texas GOP Appears To Put Death Penalty For Abortion Patients On 2024 Wish List”

“The Republican Party of Texas is considering a platform that appears to endorse the death penalty for abortion providers and patients.” […]

“The GOP platform calls for an ‘equal protection of the laws to all preborn children from the moment of fertilization,’  and later states that ‘abortion is not healthcare, it is homicide.’ The phrase ‘equal protection of the law’ is used in the anti-choice movement to define abortion as homicide, and criminalizes abortion physicians and patients as murderers.

“The Republican Party of Texas did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.”

Common Dreams: “Southeast Abortion Clinic Wait Times Soared After Florida Ban”

“Fort Lauderdale clinic director Eileen Diamond recounted the story of one woman who had traveled from Houston to Florida in search of an abortion, only learning after an 18-hour drive that Florida had passed its six-week ban. The woman, who was nine-weeks pregnant, then had to drive at least another 12 hours to Virginia and another 17 home.

“‘This woman was desperate,’ Diamond told the Post. ‘She had used everything she had to come to us.’”

Spectrum News: “Report: Fewer med school graduates applied to programs in states restricting abortion”

“A new analysis by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Research and Action Institute shows since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago, disproportionately fewer graduates of U.S. medical schools applied to residency programs in states with restricted abortion access than in states where the procedure is legal.

“‘The biggest finding was that even with slight fluctuations in the way that people apply, there seemed to be a disproportionate drop-off in the unique applicants that were applying to states like Kentucky, where abortion had been banned or severely limited,’ said the report’s co-author, Atul Grover, executive director of the AAMC Research and Action Institute.

“Kentucky saw a 15% decrease in residency program applicants of all specialties in the past year compared to the previous application cycle, while the average for all states was a 10% decline, Grover said.” […]

“‘I’m not asking the same people at a time together, ‘Why did you make this choice?’ Grover said. ‘However, given the sweeping changes that we’ve seen post-Dobbs, we think it’s pretty likely that this is a big factor, if not the biggest factor, in why people are avoiding states that have severe limitations on reproductive health care.’”

Trump’s chaotic lead is dismantling Republicans’ state party infrastructure as they allow extremist purity tests to take priority over voter outreach and party building.

Austin-American Statesman: “Texas Republican convention shows ultraconservative flank still controls the party”

“The Texas Republican Party, which assembled inside the sprawling convention hall a few blocks from the Alamo as much of the state was observing Memorial Day weekend, showcased its internal differences even as it continued its rapid-fire assault on Democrats six months before Election Day 2024.

“’I made a big decision in January of this year,’ Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told the cheering delegates Saturday as the three-day Texas State Republican Convention was heading into its final hours. ‘I announced that I was declaring open season on RINOs with no bag limits.’

“Miller, an irrepressible conservative who likes to bill himself as ‘Donald Trump’s man in Texas,’ was referring to that strain of the GOP faithful that has been castigated as ‘Republicans In Name Only’ because of a willingness to sometimes seek common ground with Texas’ minority party.” […]

“Speaking with reporters on the convention’s second day, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn was asked if he was worried about the financial health of the Texas GOP heading into the fall campaign.”

“‘I am,’ said Cornyn, who is not on the ballot this cycle.”

AZPM: “RNC Hispanic Community Center in Tucson no longer operational”

“The Republican National Committee’s Hispanic Community Center in Tucson is closed and appears to be undergoing a remodeling after opening in August 2022.

“The center was a part of the RNC’s move to increase voter outreach to marginalized communities ahead of the 2022 General Election.” […]

“According to reporting from the Copper Courier, Phoenix’s RNC Hispanic Community Center is now a Cricket Wireless store.”