A near-total ban on abortion has supercharged the political dynamics of Arizona, a key swing state

By STEVE PEOPLES and JONATHAN J. COOPER
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — A stunning abortion ruling this week has supercharged Arizona’s role in the looming fall election. Suddenly, emboldened national Democrats are pouring new resources into the state as Republicans scramble to navigate the evolving political landscape while confronting nagging internal divisions. Arizona, a Sunbelt border state with a fierce independent streak, may be emerging as the nation’s most critical political battleground in 2024. President Joe Biden and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump are prioritizing several swing states in their quest to the 270 delegates needed to claim the presidency. But few general election battlegrounds feature a collision of issues, elections and party disputes like Arizona, a state Biden carried by less than 11,000 votes four years ago.