Eighty percent of Texas voters believe that abortion should be allowed in cases of rape and incest. After the repeal of Roe v. Wade in late June, the once federally protected right to abortion now falls under the jurisdiction of state governments. With abortion rights on the ballot, it is expected that many voters will take a stand in upcoming elections.
One example of voters preserving abortion access took place in Kansas earlier this month. Voters preserved the Kansas Constitution by rejecting a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have removed the right to an abortion.
Although the right to an abortion has been a divisive voter issue for decades, the repeal of Roe has seemingly ignited voter enthusiasm. Democrats have spent more than $30 million on advertisements that feature abortion access as the number one voter issue for this upcoming election season.
How will American voters react now that the federal right to an abortion has been stripped? Will we see more states uphold or repeal abortion access?
Will the right to an abortion inspire single-issue voters? Is abortion access going to be on the ballot in November?
Guests:
- Dylan Lysen, political reporter for the Kansas News Service
- Amy Littlefield, The Nation’s abortion access correspondent and journalist focused on reproductive rights, health care, and religion
- Jon Taylor, Ph.D., department chair and professor in the Department of Political Science and Geography at the University of Texas in San Antonio
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*This interview was be recorded on Tuesday, August 16.