Defending Abortion Access

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade today, eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion. This reversal of fundamental rights and attack on the status of women in this country is unparalleled in our lifetime. That our daughters will have fewer rights than the generation before them is something we cannot and will not accept. 

As if this is not devastating enough on its own, we must also recognize that today’s decision is straight out of the playbook being used across the globe to drive toward authoritarianism by attacking gender equity. Now more than ever, our work outside the usual political bubbles is a critical strategy to protect abortion access and to interrupt the strategies at play pulling moderate folks toward fascism.

Since the leaked draft of the Supreme Court opinion in May, we’ve been in the field researching how moderate white women are reacting to the news and running our ads to enhance their support of reproductive freedom. We’ve learned a tremendous amount in a short period of time through our own unique research and national polling. 

Following the leak, 64% (nearly 2 of 3) of Americans oppose Roe being overturned. While the issue has become increasingly important in vote consideration, the majority (54%) of voters still say abortion access is one consideration among many. Our research confirms this to be true for our audience. It would be a serious mistake to assume today’s ruling will inherently mobilize moderate white women, and our highly effective ads are needed now more than ever to help them sort through their competing concerns and complex feelings.   

While the majority of white women with college degrees overwhelmingly support Roe, those without college degrees are still—even after the leak—split right down the middle (46% support, 46% oppose, and 8% are unsure). We have unique knowledge of this particular group of white women and have had proven success moving them in the past. We need to engage with and continue to move the moderate women in persuadable segments that we know so well. 

In preparation for this moment, we have been studying white women’s shifting opinions over time and field testing our ads. We conducted a baseline survey pre-leak and another after the leak to learn what changed. We will now immediately survey this same group of 2,000 women to see how they are reacting to today’s decision to identify our best opportunities for continued progress. (Updated 7/15/22: See the tracking survey results post-decision.)

Agree or Disagree: “Roe v. Wade Should Not Be Overturned”

So what’s next? We are acting right now to get the right messages to the right voters in our persuadable voter segments to defend abortion access. We are grateful to our allies who are mobilizing the base while we focus on what we do best: connecting with moderate women who may feel conflicted about abortion, but who—with support—will stand to defend another woman’s freedom to decide.