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Having lived in the Bible Belt for eight years, I can say that a Democrat with a pro-choice agenda has essentially no chance of being elected there, or re-elected, unless he/she is both a well-established and well-liked incumbent. Blanco is not either of those, and if she wants any chance at re-election, she will have to sign the bill.
And we, as Democrats (presumably), should shut-up about Democratic leaders who, from this point on, follow the wishes of the majority of their constituents. Though a slight majority of people, even in the South, are pro-choice, a slight majority of PEOPLE WHO VOTE are anti-choice, as has been shown in many recent elections there.
I myself am as vocally pro-choice as you will ever find, but the harsh reality is that a politician's pro-choice position is a huge liability in conservative states, and that single issue alone likely accounts for the consistent losses the Dems have experienced there. I know many people whose sole criterion for whom they vote is the politican's stand on abortion. I applaud the Dems holding on to the pro-choice ideal only as long as it doesn't single-handedly hand the gov't over to the Republicans, which sadly it has.
So if Blanco must sign the bill to keep her job come re--election, then let her sign it. Let the Repubs have their way on this issue, let them own it, even reverse Roe. In the end, it will blow up in their faces. Smart Dems will be standing by to make political hay from it.
