The Huffington Post's Laura Bassett appeared on Current TV's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" on Tuesday to discuss Mississippi's Personhood amendment. The amendment, which voters rejected on Tuesday, would have given undeveloped zygotes "personhood" status.
"Even among Democrats and pro-choice lawmakers, I think they're afraid of coming out and saying they oppose this amendment because it's being painted as a simple pro-choice vs. pro-life issue," she said, adding that most Mississippians are pro-life.
Though polling suggested the vote would be close, the amendment, Proposition 26, was struck down on Tuesday. The vote was 58 to 42 percent.
Bassett reported that the amendment would have criminalized abortion, banned intrauterine devices and some forms of birth control, and possibly affected the legality of stem cell research and in vitro fertilization. Doctors could be sued for trying to save a woman with an ectopic pregnancy.
The amendment also could have challenged Roe v. Wade and possibly other Supreme Court decisions on abortion and birth control.
Three GOP lawmakers in Congress have introduced "personhood" bills, and 63 House Republicans signed onto one bill mirroring the Mississippi amendment.