Thread by @CharlotteAlter

Okay here's why this could possibly be an abortion election after all.

1) Abortion voters (including but not limited to: resistance moms, college educated men, young women) have a better track record of showing up to vote than the low-propensity voters Trump is counting on

2) The abortion debate is now about health care for complications during WANTED pregnancies. This makes it relevant *any woman who has ever been pregnant,* any woman who might become pregnant, and any man who might be a dad, not just liberal feminists

3) Abortion is an issue that women feel they have AUTHORITY on. Some might defer to their husbands on the economy, etc. But *they're* the ones going to the OB appts, they're the ones who have scary pregnancies, they're the ones who counseled a friend through a miscarriage, etc

4) Pregnancy complications know no politics. Conservative and nonpolitical women also get eggtopic pregnancies, also have miscarriages, and also need IVF. Those experiences are often some of the most painful and memorable of their lives. You can bet they'll vote on it

This is why Liz Cheney told David Remnick that she's so sure Harris is going to win because of "what a second Trump term would mean for the women of this country.”

That's coming from LIZ CHENEY, who has been all about democracy, not abortion

4) It's probably not a coincidence that the campaign is having their most popular messengers— Beyonce, Michelle Obama— talk about abortion in the final stretch

5) This is extremely anecdotal, but I've met many more older women who say "I can't let my granddaughters have fewer rights than me" than "I want to see a woman president."

Abortion is a much more urgent issue to them.

6) I am consistently surprised at the number of D men I speak to who mention abortion unprompted. This was true even back in 2022 at Fetterman rallies. Men are understanding that abortion is not about teen pregnancy anymore-- they're beginning to see it as a family security issue

By the way, these men are talking about abortion in a traditionally masculine, protectionist way.

It's not "I care about abortion bc I'm a feminist," it's "I need to protect my family, which means protecting my wife and daughter's health care options"

Anyway: this election very well may hinge on other issues (the economy, immigration, etc) but I'm just saying... it *could* be an abortion election.

And given that pregnancy complications/IVF/miscarriages are often secret, I wouldn't be surprised to see a secret abortion vote