The Quickie: Abortion Rights Shaking Up the Midterms

Welcome to “The Quickie” — Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s daily tipsheet on the top health care & reproductive rights stories of the day.

NEW CBS POLL — ABORTION RIGHTS SHAKING UP THE MIDTERMS: Yesterday, new polling released from CBS reiterated what abortion rights advocates, voters, and candidates have been saying for months: abortion is a central issue in the midterm elections that will drive voters to the polls. CBS found that “more Democrats (77%) say abortion is "very important" than describe any other issue.” Nationally, by “more than two to one, likely voters say their vote for Congress will be to support abortion rights rather than to oppose them.” This is also playing out in key battlegrounds including Georgia and North Carolina where candidates like Stacey Abrams and Cheri Beasley are putting their support for reproductive freedom at the forefront of their campaigns.

Voters are seeing and experiencing the implications of abortion bans and restrictions in real-time as they decide who to vote for this November. Yesterday, Jenny Lawson, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes, spoke to MSNBC’s Yasmin Vossoughian about the stakes for abortion rights and how Planned Parenthood political and advocacy organizations will invest a historic $50 million to elect abortion rights champions up and down the ballot across the country.

“THE PEOPLE ARE WATCHING”: On Saturday, Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill Johnson joined MSNBC’s Cross Connection, guest hosted by Dr. Jason Johnson, to talk about the latest abortion bans that have gone into effect and how Planned Parenthood political and advocacy organizations are investing in the midterm elections to increase the number of reproductive health champions in office, up and down the ballot. Alexis spoke about the energy from voters following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade — pointing to the Kansas ballot referendum results andPat Ryan’s victory in NY-19. Alexis also noted how anti-abortion politicians are simultaneously backpedaling from their extreme positions and doubling down, noting:

“The reality is that these abortion bans are doing exactly what they were designed to do — to cause chaos, to cause confusion, to cause devastation for patients and providers everywhere. We have been saying this since S.B.8 took effect, that providers are afraid to treat patients, that pharmacists are afraid to dispense medications. … And then at the same time, while we are seeing this ‘buyers remorse’ on one end, we’re also seeing people like the Attorney General in Texas, Paxton, double down and fight EMTALA and fight the ability to provide emergency, life-saving care for patients. And I think that is actually what is going to unwind this party because they have voted for the most extreme laws… and people are watching.”

Watch the segment here.

HIP-HOP ARTIST LATTO JOINS PLANNED PARENTHOOD TO FIGHT FOR ABORTION RIGHTS: In a newly released PSA video, hip-hop artist Latto teamed up with Planned Parenthood, calling on her fans to fight for abortion rights and access. The video was released a day ahead of Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards, where Latto was nominated for three awards, including Video for Good for her song “P*SSY.” In the joint PSA video, Latto directs viewers to BansOff.org, Planned Parenthood’s online resource for abortion rights advocacy.

Latto hails from Clayton County in Georgia, a state that recently enacted a six-week abortion ban (H.B. 481). The law allows the state to criminalize essential health care just two weeks after a person’s first missed period — before many people even know they are pregnant. In a press release statement, the hip-hop artist emphasized those who are most affected by the relentless attacks on abortion care access:

“We already know who’s going to be hurt the most by these ridiculous abortion bans: Black women, Brown women, the LGBTQ+ community, and communities with low incomes. Because of this country’s history of racism and discrimination, these folks already have a hard time getting the health care they need. We all deserve to be safe and it’s every person’s right to make decisions about their own bodies. As an artist, I want to use my platform to let these politicians know: My body is for no one to control, but me.”

Watch the PSA video here.