Abortion in North Carolina could be impacted after rulings in Arizona, Florida

NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) -- The Biden campaign hosted a roundtable featuring physicians, local leaders, and two women who were denied abortion care in their home states after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

They believe abortion access will play a key role in November, with some physicians warning North Carolina is already seeing an influx of patients from other states.

Planned Parenthood says post-Dobbs decision, they've already seen 32 percent of North Carolina's patients coming from out of state.

In light of the Arizona decision allowing for a near-total ban, and a Florida decision capping the procedure at 6 weeks, North Carolina and Virginia are now the only two Southern states with 12 weeks or longer

"Patients are running out of options and North Carolina and Virginia are some of the last options for folks from our part of the country," says Alison Kiser from Planned Parenthood South Atlantic.

They're increasing appointment availability, but worry it may not be enough.

North Carolina's abortion access was already restricted to 12 weeks, and Democratic lawmakers worry more restrictions could come.

"I definitely think 6 weeks will come next if we don't do what we need to do this fall," says Senator Natalie Murdock (D-Durham).

Meanwhile, the Republican candidate for Governor Mark Robinson is weighing in, in a statement saying, "Lt. Governor Mark Robinson is pro-life because of the painful and difficult experience he and his wife had, and his faith."

Robinson goes on to say he would sign a heartbeat bill, which is typically as early as 6 weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest, and danger to the life of the mother.

Meanwhile, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Stein weighed in, saying:

"Republican extremists across the country are stripping women of their reproductive freedoms and enacting total bans on abortion. As Governor, I'll continue to defend women's freedoms because I trust them to make their own health care decisions without politicians like Mark Robinson telling them what to do."

Stein clarified his view on where the limit should be set in North Carolina is the "Roe v. Wade framework," which allowed legalized abortion up until "viability" which is usually around 24-28 weeks.

The NCGOP is defending its law passed post-Roe last year, setting the limit at 12 weeks, arguing "the law enacted by supermajorities in the General Assembly is a mainstream modernization that increased funding for contraception, preventing infant and maternal mortality, and protecting exemptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother."