Comment In the wake of a decisive victory for the abortion rights movement in Kansas, Democrats on Wednesday sought to capitalize on signs of strong voter anger over conservative efforts to limit access to abortion as they look to midterm elections and other ballot measures with new vigor. In what was the first direct test at the ballot box of attitudes on abortion law after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade In June, Kansas voters on Tuesday soundly rejected a constitutional amendment that would have cleared the way for the removal of abortion rights in the state. Democrats pointed to the moment as the strongest evidence yet that the conservative-leaning Supreme Court ruling and other Republican efforts to curtail abortion rights would pay off politically for the GOP. “It’s time to reevaluate the conventional wisdom about midterm elections after this vote in Kansas,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) tweeted. “People are mad that their rights are being taken away.” Voter turnout was high in Kansas, a conservative state — a significant increase during a midsummer vote and in the eyes of many Democrats the first major sign that abortion could prove a major trigger in the fall. President Biden highlighted Wednesday’s vote, saying Republicans “have no idea the power of American women. Last night in Congress and in Kansas, they learned that.” Fed up with Biden’s low approval ratings and rising prices, Democrats are watching the fall campaign with trepidation, eager to capitalize on more favorable issues that motivate voters to vote for their candidates. After the Supreme Court’s ruling, many Democrats began refocusing their campaigns more heavily on abortion, framing their candidacies as bulwarks against GOP efforts to curtail reproductive rights. But until Tuesday, there were no signs that such a strategy could be as concrete as the one unfolding in Kansas. With a constitutional right to abortion established in Roe is no longer the case, abortion rights activists are turning to ballots, state races and legislative battles to protect and expand abortion rights on an ad hoc basis. Democrats and abortion rights activists, largely aligned with the party, are sounding increasingly hopeful notes that the two efforts can combine. Democrats are also trying to boost turnout and generate energy for House and Senate races, where many candidates are also touting efforts they would make at the federal level, including trying to codify abortion rights into law through a congressional vote. But it remains to be seen whether Democrats can effectively link abortion as an issue to the choice voters make between candidates in the fall. Most Republicans have tried to campaign on inflation and the economy, avoiding abortion when possible. They were much quieter on the issue than their Democratic counterparts after Tuesday’s vote in Kansas. At least four other states will have abortion measures on the ballot this November, which party strategists say could increase Democratic turnout in those places beyond deciding on abortion law. in these states. These include initiatives in California and Vermont, where measures would protect access to abortion within those states. Michigan voters are expected to see a measure that would expand and protect abortion access in the state on the November ballot after activists collected more than 750,000 signatures, more than double the required number. The ballot measure must receive final approval and signatures are pending. “The outstanding turnout in Kansas today is a bellwether of what’s to come this November in the midterm elections, and it’s vital that we keep this momentum going,” Cecile Richards, the former president of Planned Parenthood, said in a statement. Some Republicans played down the impact of the Kansas results — particularly for Senate races. They noted that there are currently no abortion referendums on the ballot in places that would target Senate races. However, several House races in California and Michigan, where abortion will be on the ballot, are already expected to be close. Anti-abortion activists vowed to redouble their efforts in the wake of the Kansas results. “The stakes for the pro-life movement in the upcoming midterm elections could not be higher, and there will be many more factors at play,” said Mallory Carroll, spokeswoman for SBA Pro-Life America. The candidates take offense to expose the extremism of the Democrats’ policy goals for nationalized abortion on demand paid for by taxpayers.” The group put $1.7 million into its failed Kansas effort and, along with affiliated groups, plans to put an additional $78 million into the election this year. Michigan, a key swing state in recent presidential elections, has a closely watched gubernatorial election this fall, where incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is hoping for re-election. Democrats are also hoping to turn the state Senate from red to blue and win key battles in U.S. House races. Some activists who oppose the proposed measure on Michigan’s ballot say the question voters will face in November will be different than the one Kansans decided Tuesday. “It’s very difficult to compare the two ballot measures,” said Christen Pollo, a spokeswoman for Citizens to Support Women and Children of Michigan, a coalition of anti-abortion activists who oppose the ballot measure. “What happened in Kansas does not affect our campaign.” The Michigan ballot measure would add language protecting access to abortion and other reproductive health services and block enforcement of the 1931 abortion ban if it prevails in the courts. But Pollo said the Michigan measure goes much further than the Kansas proposal, tying lawmakers’ hands from creating restrictions on abortion, from parental consent laws to bans on late-term abortions. “People are extremely confused and very concerned about how extreme this abortion amendment is,” Pollo said. Although she sees the abortion battles in Michigan and Kansas as very different, Pollo acknowledged a similarity, “I think it’s going to be a top issue for voters,” she said. “Even for those who wouldn’t say [abortion] it’s a top issue for them, it takes center stage.” Abortion rights advocates in Michigan cheered the Kansas vote and suggested the victory could portend success on the Michigan ballot in November. “This is a HUGE win for Kansans and a great sign that direct democracy is the best way for voters to protect our reproductive freedom,” said Reproductive Freedom for All, an abortion access activist collective that they supported the Michigan measure. in a series of tweets late Tuesday. The group celebrated the Kansas result for “setting the stage for more success from our repeat measures at the ballot box this November.” Meanwhile, voters in Kentucky and Montana will consider new abortion restrictions. The Kentucky ballot measure would make it clear that the state constitution does not guarantee the right to an abortion or require any state funding of abortions. Montana’s measure would create personhood protections and require doctors to provide life-saving treatment to infants “born alive” after an attempted abortion. Democrats have signaled that they will intensify their focus on the issue in the coming months across the country, even beyond states where abortion measures are voted on, and will take the fight directly to Republicans. “Theirs is a deeply unpopular position that will backfire in House districts,” said Ellen Calla, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “And we look forward to reminding voters of the toxic Republican agenda every day until November.” John Wagner and Mariana Alfaro contributed to this report
