LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Monday marks the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned the nearly 50-year-old Roe v. Wade ruling, determining that the U.S. Constitution does not confer a right to an abortion.

The 2022 decision ended federal constitutional protections for abortion, leading to 14 abortion bans across numerous states. Because of this, as the 2024 elections approach, Democrats are strategically leveraging this issue to galvanize voter turnout.

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This includes using abortion as a wedge issue in key battleground states like Michigan even though the state itself has cemented abortion and reproductive rights into the state Constitution with the voter- passed initiative Proposal 3, “Reproductive Freedom for All.”

Abortion rights: A central theme for democrats.

Michigan has emerged as a crucial state in this political landscape, where the impact of the Dobbs decision is keenly felt by Democrat politicians who want to capitalize on the issue.

Even though abortion numbers have grown after the Dobbs decision, this fact hasn’t stopped Michigan politicians like Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who is a co-chair of the Biden reelection campaign, and U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin, who is running for a U.S. Senate seat, from campaigning on the issue.

National support for Slotkin’s campaign.

Slotkin recently held a rally in Grand Rapids, emphasizing that “choice is on the ballot” in the upcoming elections. She cautioned voters against trusting Republican assurances that they would not curtail reproductive freedoms at the federal level.

At the rally, Slotkin’s campaign had significant support from major national abortion-rights groups. The presidents of EMILY’s List, Planned Parenthood, and Reproductive Freedom for All all actively campaigned for Slotkin at the event. Their coordinated efforts show the critical role abortion rights will play in the Democrats’ strategy to drive voter engagement and turnout.

Whitmer’s campaign efforts for President Biden.

Both Slotkin and Whitmer continue to be at the forefront of advocating for reproductive rights during this pivotal election year with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer amplifying the issue as she campaigns for the president.

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Recently, Gov. Whitmer joined Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers at a panel discussion in Madison focused on abortion access, reinforcing the Democratic narrative that protecting reproductive rights is paramount. Whitmer highlighted the contrast between Michigan, where abortion access is constitutionally protected, and Wisconsin, where the legality of abortion remains uncertain pending court decisions.

Gov. Whitmer said in a statement today, “Two years ago, Americans had their constitutional right to abortion stripped away by an extreme, out-of-touch Supreme Court. “We must keep fighting to protect the fundamental freedom of every person to make their own health care decisions about their own bodies. While other states have gone backwards, banning abortion, going after birth control, and gutting all kinds of critical health care, we are leading the way to move Michigan forward. We will keep fighting like hell to protect reproductive rights.” 

Gov. Whitmer also continues to falsely claim that if “Donald Trump gets a second term in the White House he has already committed to signing a national abortion ban.”

VP Kamala Harris also spread the same lie on Sunday on the social media platform X saying, “If Donald Trump gets the chance, he will sign a national abortion ban that would criminalize abortion in every single state.”

The truth is that the former president agrees with the results of Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization and has said numerous times that he believes abortion should be a state’s rights issue and not decided at the federal level.

Even during Saturday’s keynote address at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s “2024 Road to Majority” conference in Washington, Trump did not support a national abortion ban when speaking to an evangelical group. At the event, Trump said, referring to legislation that is happening at the state level, “The people will decide, and that’s the way it should be. The people are now deciding.”

Broader implications and voter sentiment.

The Democrats’ emphasis on abortion rights reflects some broader voter sentiments. Recent Gallup polls indicate that abortion is still an important issue for voters, particularly among Democrats. Their survey shows a record 32% of U.S. voters say they would only support a major office candidate who aligns with their stance on abortion.

However, a reduced plurality of voters, 45% (down 11 points from last year), now view abortion as just one of many important factors, marking the lowest level since 2012. And in the Great Lakes State, a recent Mitchell-MIRS poll of Michigan done on May 20th and 21st, had abortion coming in at only 6% when voters were asked about the “most important” issues facing the country right now.

Right to Life of Michigan celebrates anniversary.

With the anniversary of v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization upon us, Right to Life of Michigan is celebrating the occasion with RLM President Amber Roseboom saying, “We celebrate the long-awaited overturn of Roe v. Wade that reignited a national debate on life. This extraordinary opportunity has been overshadowed by the desperate attempts of big money donors and abortion-only special interests to politicize the issue for Democratic electoral gains.”

The electoral landscape.

The political stakes are high in Michigan, a pivotal swing state that could determine control of the Senate and influence the presidential race. According to recent compilation of Michigan surveys by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ, Biden and Trump are in a tight race, each securing approximately 42% of the vote, with independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. drawing 7%. Without Kennedy in the race, the margins remain razor-thin, with Biden at 47% and Trump at 48%.

Will the abortion issue have an effect on the November election?

As the two-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision is commemorated, Democrats will continue to harness the issue of abortion rights to energize their base and appeal to undecided voters. With 63% of Americans believing abortion should be legal in most cases according to a Pew Research Center poll, figures like Elissa Slotkin and Gov. Whitmer and their democrat colleagues will continue to highlight the implications of reproductive freedoms in the forthcoming elections.