Election Day is just three weeks away and candidates from both parties are making their final appeals to American voters. President Biden’s promise to prioritize abortion rights legislation if Congress remains in Democratic hands illustrates how protecting a women’s right to choose has become the party’s fundamental midterm rallying cry.
Todd Belt is the director of the political management master’s program at the GW Graduate School of Political Management. He says Democrats are betting that outrage over the Supreme Court’s dismantling of federal abortion protections will conquer concerns about the economy.
“While Republicans are campaigning on inflation and crime, Democrats have focused on Biden's legislative achievements. But a referendum on the Biden administration will not be enough to carry the day for Democrats, as Biden's approval ratings are still below 50 percent. Democrats are hoping to push the abortion issue back to the foreground to stem the historical tide against them.”
Peter Loge is an associate professor of media and public affairs and the director of the GW Project on Ethics in Political Communication. He believes Democrats should clearly present themselves as sensible alternatives to GOP candidates pushing extremist views on abortion and election integrity.
"Democrats are arguing that Republicans want to take rights away from women, give tax breaks to billionaires, and turn government over to conspiracy theorists who don't believe in elections. Democrats on the other hand trust women and are creating jobs, supporting working families, and protecting the planet.
Democrats would rather talk about women's rights than inflation, and Republicans would rather talk about anything other than Donald Trump."
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