MADISON, Wis. — One of the largest issues on the minds of Americans this summer came after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. News 3 Now aimed to talk to voters about how the issue is impacting their ballot in November.
“The most important issue to me during this election is the overturn of Roe v. Wade,” said Philosophy Walker.
The Madison resident lives with her husband and son. She and her husband have been contemplating having a second child.
“When I got the alert {that Roe v. Wade was overturned], I showed my husband and we were quiet for a minute and I said, ‘Well I guess that made our decision for us,’” said Walker
“We don’t feel comfortable going ahead and having any more children if we won’t have the ability to make decisions about my pregnancy.”
Walker’s sentiment is countered by what conservatives call the rights of the unborn.
“I do see protection of human life from conception to natural death as a key issue for me as a voter,” said Elizabeth Durack.
Durack, who is also a Madison resident, said abortion is also her big issue, but from another angle.
“I’m voting pro-life because I want to vote for families to make a choice to love their smallest members,” said Durack.
Barry Burden is a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He says these two perspectives represent just a portion of the complicated feelings surrounding abortion for women.
“There are some people who are focused on it to the exclusion of all other issues,’ said Burden.” Even before the supreme court’s decision this spring, there were voters who cared only about abortion, both pro-choice and pro-life.”
Burden says what might have seemed like the key issue this summer might change when it comes to the polls in November.
“In the last few weeks, I think we’ve seen a shift away from that there’s less attention being paid to abortion as an issue, and more of a focus on inflation and crime,” said Burden.
According to recent Marquette Polling Data, Republicans and Democrats have different top concerns—an accurate vote count and inflation for Republicans, and abortion policy and gun violence for Democrats—while independents put inflation and public schools as their top concerns.
As time goes on, Burden says some may have forgotten about this past summer’s events. But he said Democrats hope to keep that passion kindled.
“Both Wisconsin and the rest of the nation are predominantly pro-choice,” said Burden. “So it’s a bit of a difficulty for republicans to sort of explain their position, they would rather talk about other issues that work to their advantage. But Democrats, I think, really sense an opportunity to raise abortion as an issue because they are on the winning side of that issue in terms of where most of the public is.”
Voters like Durack and Walker say they haven’t lost this passion for the issue as they head to the polls on November 8.
“I will be voting for republican candidates because they are those who more correspond with what the important issues are to me,” said Durack.
“Obviously I hope the candidates I vote for win,” said Walker. “I think everyone thinks that. But I hope beyond that, that it sends a message to the national parties that this is a priority.”
As for how this issue translates for an election outcome, it’s unclear how Walker and Durack’s opinions will match others who make their voice heard this election.
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