Former President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign manager warned Thursday that abortion is this election’s sleeper issue.
Appearing on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom,” former campaign manager Jim Messina was asked by host Dana Perino “What should Republicans be aware of” in regard to abortion going into the 2024 race?
“This is the sleeper issue of this election,” Messina bluntly replied. “And it was a sleep issue in the last election in the 2022 midterm elections. The Democrats performed nine percent better than the polls. And when you look at why, it’s the huge move towards the Democrats from suburban women.”
“You know, the story of my entire life has been don’t piss women off, and this issue has pissed off a whole lot of women voters in these battleground states. And now they’re going to get a chance to vote on it. And you see this in poll after poll,” he added.
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(Video Credit: Fox News)
Messina continued by acknowledging polling data that shows that the economy is the number one issue on voters’ minds but stressing that abortion is what’s “moving enthusiasm.”
“It’s because, across party, Republicans, Democrats, independents all believe in the same thing: They want the government to stay out of their lives,” he noted. “And this is an issue that is just burning straight hot. And President Trump seems to be trying to run away from his position on this. And I think it’s really hard to do.”
Perino responded by pulling up polling data confirming that the economy and immigration are “the main issue” on everybody’s minds.
“But to your point on what Trump has been saying, like, he is trying to say, like, it’s fine if the states decide — let the states decide,” she continued. “And what the recent poll that I saw from KFF showed is that … the majority of women are not okay with the states deciding. They don’t want the federal government to have a blanket policy.”
“But in addition to that, you will have these abortion referendums in the states like Arizona and Nevada. Could that be the difference for Kamala Harris if those races remain very tight with Trump?” Perino added.
Messina excitedly replied in the affirmative.
“Oh, absolutely, Dana, because when you look at who the undecided voters are in this election, we’re down to like five percent of voters, actually, who could vote for both of these candidates, and they are almost two-thirds women voters,” he said.
“And on both sides, right? Both parties use this. You know, Republicans have put [up] immigration ballots on in the past. And so it really is about enthusiasm and whether or not these voters actually get to the polls. And the state referendums are going to be a big way to turn out voters to make sure they vote,” he concluded.
Regarding the state-level abortion referendums, The Hill reported Friday that “House Democrats — already energized by the surging presidential ticket topped by Vice President Kamala Harris — are increasingly optimistic that a growing number of abortion referendums across the country this cycle will help them win the House and the presidency come November.”
I want a Vice President who will be the most help in getting these Abortion referendums passed, no matter who that is pic.twitter.com/AkpYXUyzcY
— Rabbi Dr. Tom (@TomThePatroit) July 22, 2024
Just this week, in fact, Arizona and Missouri officials reportedly greenlit two pro-abortion “rights” ballot initiatives.
“Election officials in Arizona and Missouri this week announced that abortion-rights supporters in their states had gathered enough petition signatures to put proposed amendments on the ballot enshrining abortion rights into their states’ constitutions,” ABC News reported.
“The decisions mean voters in more than a half-dozen states will be deciding abortion measures this fall. The proposals are likely to drive up voter turnout, potentially affecting elections for president, Congress, governor, and other state offices,” according to ABC News.
Other states with an abortion referendum that could potentially drive up Democrat voters include Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, South Dakota, Montana, and Nebraska.
Nebraska, the final state, has two competing referendums, both related to abortion.
“One would enshrine in the state constitution the right to abortion until viability,” ABC News notes. “Supporters said they submitted more than 207,000 signatures.”
“The other would write into the constitution the current law, which bars abortions after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, with some exceptions. Its backers said they submitted more than 205,000 signatures,” the outlet reported.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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