The group’s Amendment 26, which would have defined life as beginning at the moment of conception, was harshly criticized for being broad and vague. Though Personhood leaders claim they only intend to ban abortion, critics have argued that personhood measures could have negative effects on the use of birth control, in vitro fertilization and disease research.

Because the measure is so controversial (even in Mississippi, a state with only one abortion clinic), lawmakers have said that it might stand a better chance in the Legislature. Nearly 60 percent of Mississippi voters voted against the amendment, despite support from Gov. Haley Barbour and Governor-elect Phil Bryant.

In November, Barbour said that the state Legislature would have been a better place for the bill, as lawmakers could have corrected some of the ambiguities “If somebody had offered legislation in the Mississippi Legislature that says life begins at conception, that would pass,” said Barbour. “However, what has been put on the ballot is a little ambiguous.”

Bryant was recently quoted in USA Today as saying he would be “very surprised if a member of the Legislature didn’t introduce some legislation similar to [Amendment 26].”

Personhood USA’s Les Riley says his group plans to work closely with the Legislature, in an attempt to introduce a personhood bill through a different channel. “We’re going to work with the Legislature and reach out to Mississippians,” Riley told USA Today.

Personhood’s Florida affiliate failed to gather enough signatures for placement on the state’s 2010 ballot, but has already begun a new push, aiming for placement on the 2014 ballot.

Herman Cain has announced that he will attend the Republican Party of Sarasota’s “Statesman of the Year” dinner, to honor Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour.

GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain (Pic by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr)

Earlier this month, Barbour criticized Cain for his failure to “get the facts out” about the sexual harassment allegations him. Though Cain has denied any wrongdoing, he has not gone into details about the payoffs to ex-employees of the National Restaurant Association, of which he was once president.

Though the Association has confirmed that it paid financial settlements to two women who complained of sexual harassment, Cain has repeatedly refused to discuss the specifics of the cases — citing a confidentiality agreement.

“If you have a confidentiality agreement that keeps the public from finding out something that the public is interested in knowing the facts, you ought to go on and get the facts out,” Barbour said during an appearance on MSNBC’s Daily Rundown. “If a week from now, we’ve had one week of ‘the confidentiality agreement is keeping the facts from coming out,’ that’s not in Herman Cain’s interest.”

Though the allegations of sexual harassment have played a large role in Cain’s campaign, they at first didn’t apepar to make a big dent in his polling numbers — which remained high in the week following the accusations. But newly released numbers from a Politico/George Washington University poll show that Cain’s numbers appear to have slid considerably.

Via Politico:

A high-profile press conference held by one accuser, Sharon Bialek, and her attorney Gloria Allred last Monday seems to have been a tipping point.

Among likely Republican voters surveyed Sunday, Nov. 6, Cain led the field with 40 percent. On Monday, he was third with 22 percent. By Wednesday, just 19 percent of those surveyed said they supported Cain for the nomination.

“It does appear that the stories are certainly hurting him,” said Republican pollster Ed Goeas of the Tarrance Group, who helped conduct the bipartisan poll. “As this moves forward, I think it does become more and more a deal-breaker.”

The Republican Party of Sarasota dinner is scheduled for Sun., Nov. 27, and will be preceded by a VIP reception. Individual dinner tickets to the event start at $150.

Even some ardent anti-abortion advocates expressed concerns that the bill would not only outlaw abortion, but could affect in vitro fertilization and birth control use, as well.

National Right to Life was firmly opposed to Amendment 26, arguing that, if passed, the bill would lead to dozens of lawsuits — all of which could end up strengthening Roe v. Wade. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour also expressed reservations about the measure, but ultimately voted in favor of it anyway.

The vague language of the bill also sparked concerns within the medical community, which would have been impacted by the move to grant legal rights to human embryos.

“It flies in the face of common sense,” Douglas Laube said on a Tuesday afternoon phone call. “If every human being is defined as a person from conception, we would see wide-reaching impact to access to women’s health: cancer treatment, fertility treatment, birth control.”

Laube, a gynecologist based in Wisconsin, is the Health Board Chair of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, a group adamantly opposed to the bill. Though personhood supporters argued that they only aimed to ban abortion, Laube believes the bill would have done much more, negatively impacting even cancer and heart disease treatment.

“Overall health would be affected adversely,” he said. “Chronic disease either made worse by, or caused by, a pregnancy would be denied a treatment.”

Mississippi currently has only one abortion clinic, so women who do wish to undergo an abortion procedure hardly have a plethora of options. The state,which is also a hotbed for abstinence-only education, currently boasts the highest teen pregnancy rate, as well as one of the highest infant mortality rates, in the nation.

Speaking on Meet the Press on Sunday, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman became the first potential GOP presidential nominee to publicly express concerns with the “fetal personhood” amendment that appears on Mississippi’s ballot today.

Though Huntsman spoke about Mississippi’s Amendment 26 in vague terms, he did say he feels that the amendment “goes too far.”

“I think it goes too far,” Huntsman said. “I mean, I’m pro-life and always have been. I have two little adopted girls to prove the point. But I think life begins at conception. And I, you know, have certain caveats or exclusions in the case of rape, incest and life of the mother. But I’ve, I’ve always been — I’ve always been pro-life and proud of my record.”

The personhood amendment, if passed, would define life from the moment of conception — which could not only ban abortion but could have negative effects on in vitro fertilization, intra-uterine devices and birth control.

Though similar initiatives have appeared across the country, including one in Florida, support hasn’t been as strong as in Mississippi. While it has been heavily criticized for its potential ramifications, Amendment 26 has been endorsed by both candidates for governor and attorney general. The state’s current Gov. Haley Barbour voted in favor of the amendment via absentee ballot last Thursday.

Personhood supporters, who have launched similar initiatives in states across the country, want to make abortion illegal, but critics worry they will also jeopardize the legality of the birth control pill, intra-uterine devices and some in-vitro fertilization techniques.

In a statement released today, Laube, a gynecologist/obstetrician who sits on the board of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, says he would “be hard-pressed to help many of [his] patients” should the bill pass.

Laube’s full statement:

I am an obstetrician/gynecologist, and under Amendment 26 in Mississippi, I would be hard-pressed to help many of my patients. Abortion would be a criminal act. Some of the most reliable and effective forms of birth control could be illegal. And my colleagues who specialize in infertility could have fewer legal options to help women having trouble conceiving.

I think of the thousands of women I have treated in the past three decades. So many of them needed care that Amendment 26 would prohibit—I can’t imagine turning my back on any of them.

Giving legal rights to fertilized eggs means taking safe, vital medical care away from women. Amendment 26 would force women who became pregnant as a result of rape or incest to stay pregnant, no matter what.

Whether or not they wish to become parents, women sometimes experience severe or life-threatening health problems during pregnancy that can only be treated with abortion. Amendment 26 would deny these patients control over this difficult decision. No need for them to talk with family and clergy about what to do—Amendment 26 would leave them no choice but to put their health and lives at risk.

Amendment 26 could rob women of the birth control pill and the IUD, two contraceptives that have helped my patients become parents when they were ready and raise healthy, thriving families. No one in Mississippi should lose access to the contraceptive that is most effective for them. Everyone deserves the ability to plan when to bring a child into the world.

I urge the citizens of Mississippi to vote no on Amendment 26. Personhood for fertilized eggs is not worth the risk.

Laube is not alone in his criticism of the bill. Though support for Mississippi’s Personhood amendment is strong, so is its opposition.

But even those who find the bill to be problematic aren’t taking a very strong stance against it. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour recently listed his concerns with the amendment, leading many to believe he may be one of the few lawmakers to publicly oppose it. But Barbour ended those rumors on Thursday night, voting in favor of Amendment 26 via absentee ballot.

“I voted for it, I struggled with it, I have some concerns about it, but I think, all in all, I believe life begins at conception so I think the right thing to do was vote for it,” said Barbour, while speaking to reporters at a political rally yesterday.

Personhood USA, the group that sponsored Mississippi’s Initiative 26, trumpeted the news on its blog today.

Via Personhood USA:

Personhood USA was pleased to learn on Thursday night that Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour has voted “Yes” on Amendment 26 via absentee ballot. The amendment to the Mississippi Constitution will recognize every human being, from conception, as a legal person. The Governor made the announcement while taking questions at a rally for Republican gubernatorial candidate, and Yes on 26 campaign Co-chair, Lt. Governor Phil Bryant.

“Personhood USA congratulates Governor Barbour for making the correct decision in voting to protect the lives of the innocent,” said Keith Mason, President of Personhood USA. “The babies that will be saved by Amendment 26 will live, grow up, and return to thank the Governor along with the overwhelming number of politicians, medical professionals, and citizens who have advocated for their right to live.”

Like many of the amendment’s critics, Barbour expressed concerns earlier in the week that the passage of the amendment could backfire for the anti-abortion movement. Defining life from the moment of conception could lead to a host of legal issues and cause problems for those undergoing in vitro fertilization, or those wishing to take the birth control pill. Some worry that pregnant women that suffer a miscarriage (by, for example, falling down a flight of stairs) could even face charges.

Speaking with NBC’s Chuck Todd, Barbour said that, although he is opposed to abortion, he has doubts about supporting such an extreme bill.

“I believe life begins at conception,” said Barbour. “Unfortunately, this personhood amendment doesn’t say that. It says life begins at fertilization, or cloning, or the functional equivalent thereof. That ambiguity is striking a lot of pro-life people here as concerning. And I’m talking about people that are very, outspokenly pro-life.”

When asked how he plans to vote for Amendment 26, Barbour said he isn’t yet sure. “If you had asked me when this was first proposed, I would have said … I believe that life begins at conception, and therefore I would be for it,” he said. “I am concerned about some of the ramifications on in vitro fertilization, ectopic pregnancies where pregnancies outside the uterus and the fallopian tubes. That concerns me, I have to just say it.”

Johnny DuPree, who is currently in the running for governor in the state, has also expressed doubts about the amendment, but still says he plans to support it. According to his website, DuPree has “concerns about some of the ramifications, such as on in-vitro fertilization and birth control,” but he will ultimately support the amendment “because he believes life begins at conception.”

The state’s Amendment 26 would define a human being from the moment of conception — a problem, say some, for those looking to undergo in vitro fertilization (in which cases freezing an embryo could potentially be deemed “child abuse”) or those on the birth control pill. Supporters of the personhood amendment say they only want to ban abortion; the state currently has only one abortion facility.

The support for personhood has been much stronger in Mississippi than in other states, like Florida, where a personhood initiative has yet to gain popular or legislative support. Many anti-abortion organizations, like National Right to Life, find the personhood movement to be problematic. The passage of such a bill, they argue, would lead to so many lawsuits that it could end up strengthening, rather than weakening, Roe v. Wade.

Mississippians will vote on the personhood amendment on Nov. 8.

Barbour, who helped found the D.C.-based lobbying firm BGR Group, was rumored to be considering a presidential run as early as 2010. The Mississippi governor also made trips to Florida and South Carolina and told wealthy Republican donors to “keep their powder dry” till he decided whether he would run.

In the end, Barbour didn’t launch a presidential campaign — likely because his political career has been steeped in controversy in recent years.

In his home state, Barbour landed in hot water following comments he made praising the pro-segregation Citizens Council. He also told the Weekly Standard that he didn’t remember the Civil Rights Era as “being that bad,” a comment that created a strong backlash.

In February, Barbour again found himself ensnared in a racially charged controversy after he refused to denounce a proposed state license plate that would honor Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate general and early Ku Klux Klan leader. When pressed for comment by the NAACP, Barbour said, “I don’t go around denouncing people.”

The “Statesmen of the Year” dinner will be held on Nov. 27. Tickets to the event range from $150 (for an individual ticket) to $3,000 (to be a table sponsor).

The report, “A New Medicaid: A Flexible, Innovative and Accountable Future” (.pdf), proposes what the group calls “the best ideas from the states to be considered in reforming the nation’s health care system.” The report includes 31 “solutions.”

One of the policy solutions mentioned was one requiring “the federal government to take full responsibility for the uncompensated care costs of treating illegal aliens.”

This suggestion was added to a Medicaid reform proposal, despite the fact that illegal immigrants are already not allowed to receive Medicaid benefits. However, for some governors, that is beside the point.

The Wall Street Journal reports,

But RGA Policy Chairman and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said illegal immigrants sneak onto the program in his and other states and add to its tab.

“Let’s don’t kid ourselves,” Gov. Barbour told reporters during a briefing at RGA headquarters in Washington. “There are people who are getting on the system and violating the law.”

Even if they’re not on Medicaid, illegal immigrants cannot be refused treatment at emergency rooms, and hospitals end up absorbing that cost when patients don’t pay those bills, said Bill Hazel, Virginia’s secretary of health and human resources. Neither he nor Mr. Barbour would say how much that actually costs their states, and Democratic governors haven’t cited it as a significant cost.

The bigger point, Mr. Barbour said, is that the Obama administration has sued states to block them from enforcing their own laws to keep illegal immigrants out of the country. So if the federal government is going to insist on being solely responsible for securing the border, it should foot the bill when its immigration enforcement fails and leaves states with stacks of unpaid medical bills.

There are other attacks on health care provided by the federal government to undocumented immigrants.

Rep. Joe Wilson, the South Carolina Republican who famously yelled, “You lie!” at President Obama during a state of the Union address, is opposed to money that goes to community health centers, which provide services to undocumented immigrants.

Community health centers are currently being strengthened under the new health care reform law because they provide access to health care to underserved populations, which includes immigrants and other people who do not have insurance. Many women and children who would not otherwise receive health care, rely on local community health centers’ services.

Perry, who chairs the Republican Governors Association, sent out invitations to all 49 other state leaders for the Aug. 6 event at Reliant Stadium. As the Texas Independent reported earlier this week, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and (according to Politico) Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels won’t be at the stadium this August, either due to scheduling conflicts or unspecified reasons, while Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi has yet to finalize his August schedule. In addition, another four Republican Governors have recently made clear they cannot attend.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin will not be joining Perry and the prayer crowd due to previous scheduling engagements, said spokesperson Aaron Cooper, adding that the governor remains supportive of such efforts. In May, Fallin keynoted a prayer event coordinated by the Oklahoma City National Day of Prayer Task Force, a coalition of pro-life and ‘pro-family’ groups in her state. The same goes for Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, who will not be heading to this event in August for the similar reasons. Press Secretary Sara Wurfel says the governor is intensely focusing on “turning around Michigan’s economy,” and can’t take part, pointing instead to Snyder’s May proclamation calling for a “Michigan Day of Prayer.”

Aides from the offices of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said those state leaders are not permitted to attend due to previous engagements. Meanwhile, governors John Kasich of Ohio and Bob McDonnell of Virginia are still working through their agenda commitments, leaving the decision up to a later date, say staff press secretaries. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is the only governor thus far to accept his invitation to the all-day prayer and fasting rally dubbed “The Response,” a “non-political” Christian-based event.