WASHINGTON — As Democrats seek to turn the political tide less than one year out from the midterm elections, they are increasingly leaning into the volatile issue of abortion, with the Roe v. Wade decision hanging in the balance at the U.S. Supreme Court.
The high court heard oral arguments Wednesday to a challenge of a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks, which directly confronts the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Justices could issue a decision on the case next summer, just months before the 2022 elections.
While the economy and coronavirus pandemic are currently at the forefront of voters’ minds, Democrats and their liberal allies say a complete or partial overturning of Roe v. Wade could fundamentally alter the political equation, giving them an opening to energize base voters — especially young women — and make inroads with swing suburban women.
