As Nov. 5 approaches and the struggle for control of the U.S. House reaches a fever pitch, Democrats are doing everything they can to tie their Republican opponents to their antiabortion voting records. Some Republican candidates, meanwhile, seem to be softening their positions. And political analysts say it鈥檚 part of a larger trend playing out nationwide, up and down the ballot.
鈥淭he politics of abortion and reproductive health can get voters to participate at higher rates,鈥 said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University. 鈥淩epublicans have to moderate their stance if they鈥檙e going to be in the battle.鈥
After all, support restoring abortion rights overturned in 2022 by the Supreme Court. Aggressive ads are going up in competitive districts where Democrats see an opportunity to take control of the House by engaging voters who might not vote straight-ticket 鈥 or at all.
In New York, Democrat Josh Riley blasted Republican incumbent Marcus J. Molinaro in a for voting against abortion rights 13 times. Next door in New Jersey, Democratic hopeful Sue Altman Republican opponent Tom Kean Jr. for a 鈥渟ecret antiabortion agenda.鈥 And in California, Democrat Will Rollins Republican rival 鈥Ken Calvert and MAGA extremists鈥 for backing a national abortion ban.
Meanwhile, in March, shortly after her primary, Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) removed her support for a blanket abortion ban 鈥 the 鈥 saying it could create confusion because the bill could threaten in vitro fertilization. Following news reports about her reversal, the Orange County-area Republican in which she shared that she had used IVF and reiterated her support for the procedure.
On the campaign trail, Steel has said she to abortion bans in cases of rape, incest, and in which the mother鈥檚 health or life is at risk, a departure from bills she previously supported.
鈥淲hat we all need to do is to make sure we look at her record, and that record is contrary to what she鈥檚 putting out there in her ads,鈥 Steel鈥檚 Democratic challenger, Derek Tran, told me.
The Steel and Calvert campaigns told 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News that their candidates oppose a national abortion ban. Calvert, who last backed a, issued a statement saying the issue is best left to states.
Tim Rosales, a political strategist who has represented Republican candidates, said incumbents shouldn鈥檛 get heat for changing their minds over time.
Meanwhile, Rolling Stone that Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) had deleted antiabortion endorsements from his website. Arizona Republican incumbent Rep. David Schweikert said, even though he had co-sponsored a national ban six times.
And vice-presidential candidate JD Vance from his website the month former president Donald Trump selected him as his running mate.
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