House Democrats, already buoyed by Vice President Harris leading the presidential ticket, are increasingly hopeful that a wave of abortion referendums this cycle will bolster their chances of winning both the House and the presidency in November.
This week, the secretaries of state in Arizona and Missouri approved two pro-abortion rights ballot measures, bringing the total number of such referendums to eight, according to KFF, with additional efforts still pending.
Democrats Hope Abortion Referendums Will Boost Midterm Wins with Harris Leading
Women’s reproductive rights were pivotal in the 2022 midterms, where backlash against the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade drove large Democratic turnouts, resulting in a stronger-than-expected performance for the party and limiting the GOP to a narrow House majority.
With Election Day less than three months away, Democrats are optimistic that the growing number of abortion-related ballot initiatives, combined with Harris’s position as the presidential nominee, will mobilize voters and lead to victories both at the top of the ticket and in down-ballot races.
“When abortion rights are at stake, people show up to defend them, and Democrats come out on top,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), in an interview with The Hill. “We’re committed to ensuring voters know our priorities, and so is Vice President Harris.”
Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.), whose state has an abortion measure on the ballot, noted that reproductive rights have become even more critical this cycle, partly due to former President Trump being on the ballot and his stance on abortion.
