Pro-Legalization GOP Congresswoman Prevails In Primary Victory After Being Attacked Over Marijuana Reform Stance

The GOP Home sponsor of a federal marijuana legalization invoice prevailed towards a main reelection problem on Tuesday, beating out an opponent who attacked her hashish reform place and positioning herself to guide the cost on a complete bipartisan coverage change if Republicans find yourself taking the Home majority in November’s midterms.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who’s championing the States Reform Act (SRA) to finish prohibition, handily defeated her opponent Katie Arrington, who launched an assault advert accusing the congresswoman of being “excessive” over her give attention to marijuana reform and at one level challenged her to take a drug check.

The incumbent additionally succeeded regardless of makes an attempt by a recently formed anti-legalization political action committee to push her out of Congress and former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of her opponent. (Trump on Wednesday nonetheless congratulated Mace on the victory when the race was referred to as.)

Mace’s dwelling state Republican get together group additionally came out against her legalization proposal following its introduction.

We did it!!!! #SC01 #KeepTheFirst pic.twitter.com/FfIz0KpOyC

— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) June 15, 2022

Hashish advocates are broadly happy with the end result, which retains intact a key participant within the push for bipartisan reform on the GOP aspect of the aisle because the prospects of Congress enacting Democratic-led legalization payments stay in query.

Maybe extra importantly, the probabilities of Democrats sustaining their slim majorities in both chamber after November’s election are in severe doubt, so having a Republican member who has made complete legalization a legislative precedence stay in her seat—particularly after her opponent attacked her over the difficulty—comes as a aid to those that’ve labored exhausting at advancing reform.

Mace’s SRA shares many similarities with payments that Democratic Home and Senate management have labored to get enacted through the years, recognizing the necessity for some measure of social fairness and helping small companies whereas undertaking one of many main targets of reformers: eradicating hashish from the listed of prohibited medication below the Managed Substances Act.

The congresswoman, who has private expertise using cannabis a therapeutic treatment, not too long ago stated that she’s obtained assurances that SRA will obtain a listening to within the Democratic-controlled Congress, whilst her colleagues work to advance competing proposals such because the Home-passed Marijuana Alternative, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act or separate legalization laws that’s being finalized by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

It stays to be seen if that listening to will really occur this yr, however activists are cheering Mace’s main victory as an indication that, even when issues flip towards Democrats on the poll, there’ll nonetheless be a uncommon conservative voice advocating for complete change with a Republican majority.

“Consultant Mace has essentially modified Republican conversations on the subject of marijuana coverage reform,” Justin Strekal, founding father of the BOWL PAC, informed Marijuana Second. “As a longtime advocate who has tried for years to make problems with expungements and addressing previous harms and selling small companies a nonpartisan difficulty, Consultant Mace’s States Reform Act represents a superb religion endeavor to constructively interact.”

(Disclosure: Strekal helps Marijuana Second’s work by a monthly pledge on Patreon.)

Maritza Perez, director of the workplace of nationwide affairs on the Drug Coverage Alliance, equally informed Marijuana Second that “it’s nice to have a Republican who’s on the market in assist of descheduling—any person who’s a real advocate for marijuana reform that’s uncommon on the Republican aspect.”

“I hope that she’s capable of persuade extra of her colleagues on that aspect of the aisle to affix the battle for hashish reform,” Perez stated.

There have been some considerations amongst reform advocates that the small variety of GOP cosponsors on SRA—simply 4 (together with one who handed away this yr), with zero being added because it was launched in November regardless of Mace frequently working to construct assist—alerts that there may be some stress between the congresswoman and the Republican co-chair of the Congressional Hashish Caucus, Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH).

Joyce, sponsor of the separate Widespread Sense Hashish Reform Act, stated in an email explaining his opposition to the Democratic-led MORE Act, that his personal laws is “the one Republican-led complete hashish reform invoice that doesn’t embrace” tax and fairness provisions, as his invoice would merely deschedule marijuana. That was broadly learn by insiders as a dig at Mace’s invoice, which does have a few of these elements.

However one other line of considering is that some GOP members may be holding out on signing onto Mace’s invoice till they prevail in their very own main elections this cycle.

Given Mace’s victory in conservative South Carolina regardless of her robust advocacy on the difficulty, nonetheless, it might be the case that different Republican members of Congress are overly involved about how popping out in assist of legalization by means of SRA would influence their electoral efficiency.

In any case, current polling has discovered that hashish legalization enjoys majority, bipartisan assist—with most People additionally saying they’d be more likely to support politicians that again reform.

Randal Meyer, government director of the International Alliance for Hashish Commerce, informed Marijuana Second on Wednesday that Mace’s victory implies that “Republicans must be taking note of not solely the polling and the modifications in cultural attitudes—however now the precise electoral outcomes.”

Congrats @NancyMace !#StatesReformAct #EndCannabisProhibition #CannabisBusiness #CannabisPolicy #LegalizeIt #cannabisnews pic.twitter.com/tJinTDToaj

— International Alliance for Hashish Commerce (@GlobalCannaComm) June 15, 2022

Steven Hawkins, CEO of the U.S. Hashish Council (USCC) congratulated the congresswoman in a press launch, describing her as an “outspoken supporter of hashish legalization” and saying that “her victory is one other signal that the period of hashish prohibition is quick coming to a detailed.”

On behalf of the overwhelming majority of People who assist hashish legalization, we congratulate Rep. @NancyMace on her victory. She has been an outspoken supporter of legalization, and her victory is one other signal that the period of #cannabis prohibition is coming to a detailed.

— US Hashish Council (@USCannabisCncl) June 15, 2022

Mace’s main opponent “tried exhausting to make hashish a problem, going as far as difficult Mace to take a drug check and asking, ‘Is Nancy Mace excessive?’ in her marketing campaign kickoff advert,” Hawkins stated. “Arrington thought Republican main voters would abandon Mace over hashish reform, however she was counting on an outdated playbook.”

“Hashish reform enjoys rising and bipartisan assist throughout the nation,” he stated. “Politicians who guess towards reform and use hashish as a punchline accomplish that at their very own peril.”

Arrington thought GOP main voters would abandon Mace over hashish reform, however that is an outdated playbook.

Hashish reform enjoys rising and bipartisan assist throughout the nation. Politicians who guess towards reform and use hashish as a punchline accomplish that at their very own peril.

— US Hashish Council (@USCannabisCncl) June 15, 2022

Brent Gardner, chief authorities affairs officer of People for Prosperity, informed Marijuana Second that conservatives are “more and more realizing that hashish prohibition is one other failed authorities coverage, and Consultant Mace has been one of many loudest conservative voices on this difficulty.”

“Her win reaffirms what we already know—voters need Congress to undertake hashish reform and get the federal authorities out of the best way in states making the perfect selections for his or her residents,” he stated.

In the meantime, there are reportedly high-level bipartisan and bicameral talks about arising with a marijuana omnibus package of incremental reforms that might advance by each chambers by the yr’s finish.

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