US midterms: Abortion rights galvanise Democratic Party’s base

The issue is also widely seen as having galvanised the Democratic base, shaped the preferences of women and younger voters, and ensured a higher than expected turnout in the midterms.

WASHINGTON: In the summer of 2022, the Supreme Court, in a historic verdict, overturned abortion protections embedded in the Roe v Wade verdict and handed down the power to frame abortion-related laws to states.

Women cheer as they hear early voting results indicating the passage of Proposal 3, a midterm ballot measure that enshrines abortion rights, during a Reproductive Freedom For All watch party on US midterm election night in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday. (REUTERS)

There would be no national protection for abortion anymore.

Five months later, a set of America’s states have spoken - and done their bit to protect abortion rights.

The issue is also widely seen as having galvanised the Democratic base, shaped the preferences of women and younger voters, and ensured a higher than expected turnout in the midterms.

A CNN exit poll said that for 27% of the voters in the midterms, abortion was a top priority.

In Kentucky, voters rejected an amendment proposal to the state constitution that would have allowed the state not to secure, protect or fund abortion - in effect restricting or prohibiting abortion rights by law dramatically.

In Michigan, where abortion was a key political issue across races, voters decisively backed a proposal to codify abortion protections into law.

In California, voters backed an amendment that ensured reproductive freedom and stated that the state would have no right to interfere with abortion.

In Vermont, voters supported an amendment to the state constitution, which said that “an individual’s right to personal reproductive autonomy” was central to the “liberty and dignity to determine one’s own life course and shall not be denied or infringed unless justified by a compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive means”.

In August, Kansas had rejected an anti-abortion measure, which was the first sign that even in what were seen as traditionally Republican parts of the country, the issue had galvanised voters.

The results of an abortion-related question in Montana were still to be declared at the time of writing.