Landslide Making Abortion Partisan
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Apr 18, 2024 
Mary Ziegler, a legal historian and UC Davis law professor, dives into the evolution of abortion as a political issue. She reveals how, prior to the late 1960s, abortion was not aligned with party lines. Ziegler discusses the Catholic Church's mixed influence on opposition and how the women’s rights movement reshaped abortion advocacy. She explains how the New Right seized on abortion to galvanize voters and reflects on how shifting arguments and evangelical leadership turned it into a divisive political weapon.
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Abortion Was Once Nonpartisan
- Abortion was not initially a partisan issue in U.S. politics.
- Prominent Democrats and Republicans held mixed views before the late 1960s and 1970s.
Catholics Led But Didn't Fully Represent Opposition
- Early anti-abortion activism was predominantly Catholic-led but not universally Catholic in support.
- Polling showed many Catholics held views similar to the general population.
Early Arguments Focused On Health And Doctors
- Early pro-reform arguments stressed public health and doctors' discretion.
- Over time, the movement broadened into repeal with feminist and population-control voices.
