Role of Dobbs in the midterms

[jon-nyc]

Seems like abortion helped the democrats more than people expected.

All 6 statewide referenda on abortion were won by the pro-choice side, even in red states such as KY and MT. And the referenda outperformed Democratic candidates, meaning they were getting GOP votes too.

They probably also drove turnout. I’ll bet the DNC is planning dozens of abortion referenda for 2024.

[jon-nyc]

Another interesting thing, DeSantis did well and changes the subject when someone brings up abortion, showing no interest in outlawing it in the first trimester. Zeldin outperformed expectations in NY and he did a straight-to-camera ad saying he wouldn’t seek to change NY law on the topic.

[Jolly]

You mean the conservative members of SCOTUS were right?

Do tell...

[jon-nyc]

I don’t remember them prognosticating on the electoral impact.

[Jolly]

No, they decide legal cases based on the Constitution. In this case, I think they decided correctly.

Each state is its own laboratory of democracy. The politics are part of that function.

[89th]

Agree with both of y’all.

[jon-nyc]

Exit poll data suggests it mattered.

https://www.thebulwark.com/the-data-have-spoken-abortion-was-a-decisive-issue-in-the-2022-midterms/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Midterm+Elections+and+the+Things+We+Tell+Ourselves&utm_campaign=The+Midterm+Elections+and+the+Things+We+Tell+Ourselves

[taiwan_girl]

I think it made a difference. Obviously both parties thought so also,

Democrats - talking about it all the time to draw attention away from inflation

Republicans - after realizing that this was an important topic for many voters, trying to minimize their involvement or agreement with the court case

[Mik]

No GOP candidates in Ohio ran away from it.

[taiwan_girl]

I think they were in the minority
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/30/republican-abortion-positions-midterm-elections-00054128