For the past two years, reproductive rights have been an issue driving voters to the polls. According to KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation, "Up to 10 states may have abortion measures on their ballot seeking to either affirm that the state constitution protects the right to abortion or that nothing in the constitution confers such a right."
The Democrats made abortion a key issue at the Democratic National Convention, like when several speakers talked about the effect abortion bans have had on them personally. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about the issue briefly during her acceptance speech.
“When Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law,” the Democratic presidential nominee said.
While that is promising, I hope to see a comprehensive plan from Democrats across the country for returning the rights we had before the Supreme Court's 2022 decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump seems to realize how important this issue is, and he's trying to make us all forget that he appointed the justices who struck down Roe v. Wade. On Thursday, Trump not only said he'd push for free in vitro fertilization treatment, but he also criticized his home state of Florida's ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy: "I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks."
Now more than ever, it’s important that the Democrats and Harris make this a central issue of the presidential campaign ‒ and remind people what the GOP agenda has been for the past few years.
Voters don't want fewer rights
Since the Dobbs decision two years ago, 14 states have enacted total abortion bans and eight have bans more restrictive than the framework set by Roe.
Despite these restrictions, the overwhelming majority of people support the right to an abortion in all or certain circ*mstances.
As a person who can get pregnant, I have fewer rights in my home state of North Carolina than my mother had. That is devastating – and one of the things that keeps me from returning.
The Democrats need a strong plan for winning down-ballot races in states like North Carolina so that abortion rights can be protected.
The Harris campaign is embarking on a reproductive rights bus tour, which is great. But Harris and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz need to be speaking about abortion directly.
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Biden's record on abortion was lackluster. Harris' isn't.
So far, the messaging from the top has improved from what we were seeing while President Joe Biden was the party nominee.
Biden, a practicing Catholic, has been uneasy about the procedure and its legal protections dating to the 1970s. In the June debate against Trump, while still the Democratic Party nominee, he gave a near-incoherent answer on the issue.
Harris, on the other hand, has been an active supporter of reproductive rights for years, dating to her time as California attorney general. In March, the vice president visited a Minnesota Planned Parenthood that provides abortions; it was the first time a president or vice president had done so.
Harris’ nomination is a step in the right direction for those of us who care about enshrining abortion access nationwide, but there’s still work to be done. It’s not just about the presidency; it’s about who controls the House, the Senate and state governments.
Trump wants to walk back his abortion stance
Trump, on the other hand, is trying to walk back his party’s hard-line stance on abortion.
“My Administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights,” the former president recently posted on social media.
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance is also trying to quell fears about the damage a reelected Trump would do to abortion access. Vance told NBC News that Trump has “explicitly” said that he'd veto a national abortion ban.
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It doesn’t change the fact that Trump is the reason Roe got overturned, something he has bragged about. It also doesn’t align with what Project 2025 has outlined for a second Trump term.
Project 2025 calls for more restrictions on abortion ‒ like the invocation of the Comstock Act to keep abortion pills from being sent through the mail and revoking the Food and Drug Administration approval of the abortion pill mifepristone.
Again: It’s clear that the issue of this election is abortion. It’s why Trump is suddenly changing his tune. And it’s why the Democrats need to make this a primary issue for election season.
Follow USA TODAY elections columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter,@sara__pequeno
