Abortion remains a key issue for U.S. mid‑term elections, civil groups say Miami, Oct. 25 – Civil‑rights organizations in the United States are urging political candidates to keep abortion rights on the mid‑term ballot. They point to the fact that more than 6 million reproductive‑age Latina women live in roughly 20 states that impose bans or restrictions on abortion, a situation that emerged after the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that 57 % of voters consider abortion “extremely” or “very” important. “What we see in our surveys and in the communities we work with is that abortion still motivates people,” said David Berrios, vice‑president of organization and campaigns at Reproductive Freedom for All. Alejandra Soto, the Latina spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, said that while Donald Trump is in office it is “redundant” to think about what could happen to abortion. She noted that more than 20 states have enacted total bans or significant restrictions, a trend she attributes to the federal administration’s stance. “The reality is that to truly protect abortion, we need a federal law that guarantees it without limits on weeks or exceptions,” Soto added. State restrictions and the Latino electorate According to an analysis by the National Association for Women and Families and the National Institute of Latina Justice, over 6 million reproductive‑age Hispanics—about 40 % of the U.S. Hispanic population—reside in states with abortion restrictions. The groups argue that the stereotype of Hispanics as conservative, anti‑abortion voters is misleading. A Pew Research Center survey in March found that 56 % of Hispanics believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Berrios noted that when state initiatives protect reproductive health, the majority of voters support them, citing examples from Florida, Kansas, and Missouri. He also highlighted that Hispanics prioritize economic concerns and health‑care access when voting: 86 % say the economy and 80 % say the cost and access to health care are “very important” factors. Impact of the Trump administration Abortion has been a central issue in the 2022 and 2024 elections, following the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade. Trump’s appointments of judges who supported the decision were a key factor. Reproductive Freedom for All has criticized the Trump administration’s cuts to nonprofit organizations such as Planned Parenthood and its appointment of officials who support restrictions on mifepristone, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The groups emphasize that a comprehensive federal law is necessary to safeguard abortion rights across all states.
Article source: El Nuevo Diario | Image credit: El Nuevo Diario