On June 24, 2022, the topic of abortion became a more intense debate than it had been over the last 50 years. When the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) returned the legislation to the states, abortion activists raised the stakes, starting a renewed war against life. During the 2022 Midterms, Democrats played the abortion card well, gaining far better election results than either Republicans or Democrats anticipated. Having found success once, a repeat can be expected.
According to Gallup, most Americans (51%) think abortion should be legal under certain circumstances. Meanwhile, a slim 13% feel it shouldn’t be legal at all, while 34% believe it shouldn’t be restricted at all. Most Americans surveyed believe having an abortion within the first trimester should be legal, but in the second and third trimesters, it should be illegal according to Gallup’s report.
In May, a KFF poll revealed 30% of overall voters and 35% of women voters said the candidate they vote for will share their view on abortion. These numbers included 46% of Democrats, 23% of Independents, and 20% of Republicans. The survey found 31% said abortion should be legal in most cases. When asked which party best represented their abortion views, 42% of respondents said Democrats, 26% said Republicans, and 32% said neither party.
Meanwhile, many Republican-led states have enacted near abortion bans, and pro-life advocates are pushing for Republican candidates to come out strong on abortion. Leaders of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America have urged GOP candidates to bring abortion to the forefront of their campaigns rather than taking the “ostrich strategy” that is threatening pro-life legislation passed in 25 states since Roe v Wade fell.
Pro-life advocates are taking another step forward, getting involved in the process. In 2022, Mark Houck was highlighted in the news by an early morning FBI raid at his home and taken into custody over an alleged Freedom of Access to Clinics Entrance (FACE) Act violation. He was later acquitted. Houck announced his candidacy for Congress in August. He is running for Pennsylvania’s first congressional district seat and vowed to bring faith, family, and freedom to Washington.
A recent study by the Society for Family Planning, a group supporting access to abortions, found abortions increased since Roe v Wade was overturned. US News and World Report noted the number increased by 2,200, even though in states with stiff restrictions, the rates dropped; where the procedure was available, the numbers rose, gobbling up the decrease in the other states and elevating well beyond.
It is abundantly clear the abortion debate is far from over. The 2024 electorate will have an instrumental hand in moving the needle either toward life or death.
Robyn Spradlin is a freelance journalist working as a contributor for Christian News Journal covering news and politics on the national and state levels. She has worked as a copywriter for Victory News on the Victory Channel since 2022. Robyn has an BA in Communication Studies and MA in Journalism from Regent University and is a member of the Evangelical Press Association. She is an author, evangelistic minister and a musician.