Abortion Rights on the Ballot: Democrats and Republicans Emphasize Stakes Ahead of Midterm Elections

With the Supreme Court on the cusp of overturning Roe v. Wade, the debate over abortion rights has catapulted to the forefront of American politics. Republican state leaders have begun planning new bans, while Democrats aim to mobilize voters around the issue in key battleground states. As the November elections approach, both parties are emphasizing the stakes, with Democrats pushing to protect abortion access and Republicans seeking to restrict it further.

Key Takeaways:

• A leaked draft of a Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade has propelled the debate over abortion into the center of American politics, emboldening Republicans and leaving Democrats scrambling to mobilize voters six months before the midterm elections.
• Despite divided opinions within the Democratic Party, Representative Susan Wild of Pennsylvania believes that the Supreme Court's decision has handed them a reason for people to vote in the midterms, particularly among independent voters who have soured on President Biden.
• A Washington Post-ABC poll found that 54% of Americans think the Roe decision should be upheld, while 28% believe it should be overturned, demonstrating strong opposition to completely overturning Roe.
• Without the court's protection for abortion rights, states are free to enforce their own restrictions or protections, shifting the focus to governor's races where a state's executive could have an outsize role in determining whether abortion is legal.
• Democrats plan to seize on the looming threat to Roe to cast themselves as protectors of abortion rights, with Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro pledging to veto any legislation restricting abortion access in his state.
• Far more states have laws on the books effectively banning abortion, making it unlikely that Democrats will gain the numbers to reverse those laws in the November elections.

Statistics:

• 54% of Americans think the Roe decision should be upheld, according to a new Washington Post-ABC poll.
• 28% of Americans believe the Roe decision should be overturned, according to the same poll.
• 15 Democratic governors signed a letter urging Congress to enact federal abortion protections.
• 1849: The year a Wisconsin law made performing an abortion a felony unless the pregnancy endangered the life of the mother.
• 2019: The year a Georgia law banning abortion after six weeks was passed, and has been held up in a federal appeals court awaiting the Supreme Court's decision.

Sources:

• [1] Washington Post-ABC Poll ("54% of Americans think the Roe decision should be upheld, while 28% believe it should be overturned")
• [2] New York Times article ("Leaked draft of a Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade has propelled the debate over abortion into the center of American politics")
• [3] Representative Susan Wild's statement ("People were concerned about the lack of energy for voters in the midterms and not coming out to vote -- well, the Supreme Court has just handed us a reason for people to vote")
• [4] Josh Shapiro's pledge to veto legislation restricting abortion access in Pennsylvania
• [5] Washington Post article ("Without the court's protection for abortion rights, states are free to enforce their own restrictions or protections")