Attorney general races in 30 states will help decide the fate of abortion bans

Thirty states are electing their top lawyers on Tuesday. Those attorneys general have a major say in whether abortion restrictions are defended or challenged, according to The 19th, a nonprofit newsroom ¹.

Their reach goes beyond their own states. In recent months, the Republican attorneys general of Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama have sued California, Massachusetts and New York before the U.S. Supreme Court. The suits target "shield laws," which protect providers in those states when they send abortion medication to patients in states with bans ¹.

Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia have such laws. Their attorneys general would be the ones to defend them if challenged ¹.

Where the races are close

In Arizona, Democrat Kris Mayes faces Republican Warren Petersen. Petersen backed a 15-week abortion ban, and he stepped in to defend parts of it in court when Mayes would not ¹.

In Kansas, Republican Kris Kobach is trying to hold off Democrat Chris Mann. Kobach has been one of the most aggressively anti-abortion attorneys general in the country, even though Kansas voters protected abortion access in a 2022 constitutional amendment. Mann says he would defend that amendment ¹.

In Georgia, Republican state Sen. Brian Strickland faces Democrat Tanya Miller. Strickland voted for the state's 2019 six-week ban. Miller says she opposes it ¹.

In Michigan, Democrat Eli Savit faces Republican Doug Lloyd. Savit refused to prosecute abortion providers under an 1846 state law. Lloyd has said he was willing to prosecute providers despite a court injunction ¹.

In Nevada, Democrat Nicole Cannizzaro faces Republican Adriana Guzmán Fralick. Nevada voters are also deciding a ballot measure on abortion protections. Cannizzaro supports it, and Guzmán Fralick has said little about abortion ¹.

Wisconsin's rematch

Wisconsin's race is a rematch of 2022, when Democrat Josh Kaul narrowly beat Republican Eric Toney ². The state's Supreme Court overturned an 1849 abortion law in July 2025, and a 20-week limit is now the law ².

Kaul had sued to challenge the 1849 law. He said Toney attacked that suit, calling it a partisan stunt and saying it should be dismissed ². Toney says he is not seeking to change current law ². In 2022, he said prosecutors should be able to cross county lines to bring abortion cases, then walked that back before the election ¹.

That matters because an attorney general decides which laws the state defends in court and which cases it brings. The pattern across these races is that Republican candidates have defended or backed restrictions, and several Democrats have pledged to protect access. Some Republicans, such as Minnesota's Ron Schutz and Nevada's Guzmán Fralick, have said little or nothing about abortion on the trail ¹.

Results may take time in close races. The 19th points voters to vote.org to check registration and see what is on their ballot ¹.

The Record

1. Nov 8, 2022Wisconsin's Josh Kaul narrowly defeated Eric Toney in the attorney general race ².
2. Jul 1, 2025Wisconsin's Supreme Court overturned the state's 1849 abortion law, leaving a 20-week limit in place (the article gives July 2025, not a specific day) ².
3. Nov 2, 2026On the eve of the election, 30 states have attorney general races on the ballot ¹.

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<h2>Attorney general races in 30 states will help decide the fate of abortion bans</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Courts Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/attorney-general-races-in-30-states-will-help-decide-the-fate-of-abortion-bans">The GOP Files</a> on Monday, November 2, 2026.</em></p> <p>Thirty states are electing their top lawyers on Tuesday. Those attorneys general have a major say in whether abortion restrictions are defended or challenged, according to The 19th, a nonprofit newsroom .</p> <p>Their reach goes beyond their own states. In recent months, the Republican attorneys general of Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama have sued California, Massachusetts and New York before the U.S. Supreme Court. The suits target &quot;shield laws,&quot; which protect providers in those states when they send abortion medication to patients in states with bans .</p> <p>Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia have such laws. Their attorneys general would be the ones to defend them if challenged .</p> <h2>Where the races are close</h2> <p>In Arizona, Democrat Kris Mayes faces Republican Warren Petersen. Petersen backed a 15-week abortion ban, and he stepped in to defend parts of it in court when Mayes would not .</p> <p>In Kansas, Republican Kris Kobach is trying to hold off Democrat Chris Mann. Kobach has been one of the most aggressively anti-abortion attorneys general in the country, even though Kansas voters protected abortion access in a 2022 constitutional amendment. Mann says he would defend that amendment .</p> <p>In Georgia, Republican state Sen. Brian Strickland faces Democrat Tanya Miller. Strickland voted for the state&#39;s 2019 six-week ban. Miller says she opposes it .</p> <p>In Michigan, Democrat Eli Savit faces Republican Doug Lloyd. Savit refused to prosecute abortion providers under an 1846 state law. Lloyd has said he was willing to prosecute providers despite a court injunction .</p> <p>In Nevada, Democrat Nicole Cannizzaro faces Republican Adriana Guzmán Fralick. Nevada voters are also deciding a ballot measure on abortion protections. Cannizzaro supports it, and Guzmán Fralick has said little about abortion .</p> <h2>Wisconsin&#39;s rematch</h2> <p>Wisconsin&#39;s race is a rematch of 2022, when Democrat Josh Kaul narrowly beat Republican Eric Toney . The state&#39;s Supreme Court overturned an 1849 abortion law in July 2025, and a 20-week limit is now the law .</p> <p>Kaul had sued to challenge the 1849 law. He said Toney attacked that suit, calling it a partisan stunt and saying it should be dismissed . Toney says he is not seeking to change current law . In 2022, he said prosecutors should be able to cross county lines to bring abortion cases, then walked that back before the election .</p> <p>That matters because an attorney general decides which laws the state defends in court and which cases it brings. The pattern across these races is that Republican candidates have defended or backed restrictions, and several Democrats have pledged to protect access. Some Republicans, such as Minnesota&#39;s Ron Schutz and Nevada&#39;s Guzmán Fralick, have said little or nothing about abortion on the trail .</p> <p>Results may take time in close races. The 19th points voters to vote.org to check registration and see what is on their ballot .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/attorney-general-races-in-30-states-will-help-decide-the-fate-of-abortion-bans">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/attorney-general-races-in-30-states-will-help-decide-the-fate-of-abortion-bans.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. The 19th, “Your state's next attorney general could help determine abortion access” (2026-11-02). 19thnews.org/2026/11/state-attorney-general-abortion-electio
2. PBS Wisconsin, “What are the top issues in Wisconsin's 2026 election for attorney general” (2026-10-13). pbswisconsin.org/?p=84317

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