Republican Sen. Mark Kirk — waging a fierce battle for re-election in his blue state of Illinois — broke ranks Monday again with GOP congressional colleagues, praising a
Supreme Court ruling that struck down a restrictive Texas abortion law.
In a Twitter post, Kirk said he was "glad" about a decision that will "uphold access to health care for women."
Republican congressional colleagues disagreed, with Texas Sen. John Cornyn calling the ruling "a dangerous precedent" and a "step back in protecting the well-being of mothers across our state,"
according to a statement to the Star-Telegram.
House Speaker Paul Ryan
tweeted he was "disappointed" in the ruling, and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who had signed an amicus brief in support of the Texas law,
said the decision showed "just how high the stakes are when it comes to appointing Justice [Antonin] Scalia’s successor."
Kirk's latest stance isn't the first time he's gone renegade; he sided with Democrats in trying to strip out a section
defunding Planned Parenthood from an Obamacare repeal bill last December.
Senate Republicans are defending 24 Senate seats in November, including a handful, like Kirk's, in states that President Barack Obama previously carried.