Virginia Voters Approve Abortion Amendment 61 to 39 Despite the Catholic Church's Campaign Against It, Breitbart and Daily Caller Report
Breitbart says the amendment passed 61.4 to 38.6 with 86 percent counted, per the AP. The Daily Caller reports the state's most Catholic counties backed it by more than 40 points. Supporters and opponents describe its effect differently.
Virginians approved a state constitutional amendment on abortion Tuesday, Breitbart reports, citing the Associated Press.
The vote. Breitbart says "Question 1," titled the Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment, passed 61.4 percent to 38.6 percent with 86 percent of votes counted. The Daily Caller says NBC News and The New York Times called it earlier in the night.
What it does. The question asks whether the constitution should protect decisions about prenatal care, childbirth, birth control, abortion, miscarriage management and fertility care, protect doctors and patients from punishment for those decisions, and allow restrictions in the third trimester except when the patient's health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive. Breitbart calls that wording a loophole that allows abortion on demand at a doctor's discretion. That is Breitbart's characterization. The measure's text, as quoted, allows third-trimester restrictions with the health and viability exceptions. Breitbart says abortion was already legal in Virginia through 27 weeks.
The Church's campaign. The Daily Caller reports Protect Virginia 2026, the main committee opposing the measure, was created directly by the Catholic Church in Virginia. Richmond Bishop Barry Knestout wrote in July that voters face "a grave moral choice" and called the measure "extreme" and "radical." He had the letter read in all parishes in September, and some Catholics ran voter-registration drives. The Daily Caller says it did not work: Prince William and Loudoun counties, which it calls the state's most Catholic, backed the amendment by more than 40 points at the time of publication, per Decision Desk HQ.
How it got here. Breitbart says lawmakers passed the amendment last year, as the state requires two sessions before it goes to voters, and it was sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Boysko and Del. Charniele Herring, both Democrats. It adds that abortion ballot measures also appear in Nevada, Idaho and Missouri this year.
What we could not check. The percentages come from Breitbart's account of an AP projection, and counting was not finished. We have not seen the AP figures ourselves, and Breitbart's historic tally of past measures is its own. The Daily Caller's county margins were partial.
Source: Breitbart. Read the original report: https://www.breitbart.com/midterm-election/2026/11/03/virginia-enshrines-abortion-until-birth-state-constitution/
Also cited: The Daily Caller, "Catholic Church's Campaign Falls Short As Virginia Voters Approve Abortion Amendment": https://dailycaller.com/2026/11/03/virginia-proposition-1-abortion-amendment-catholic-barry-knestout