Virginia's Democratic-led Senate on Tuesday passed constitutional amendments on abortion and voting rights that were quickly lambasted by Republicans who could use the issues as the party tries to regain ground in November's statewide elections.

The votes followed an emotional floor debate on abortion — and an unusual parliamentary tussle over whether the Democratic leader had violated the chamber’s decorum,

Three amendments are one step closer in a long journey to being enshrined in the Virginia Constitution after passing the Senate on Tuesday. The Senate paved the way to enshrine abortion, marriage equality,