Vice President Kamala Harris’s forthright advocacy for abortion rights is poised to significantly reshape the national discourse on women’s health, particularly following President Joe Biden’s recent decision to withdraw from the presidential race. Harris’s assertive stance on this issue is seen as a potential turning point in how reproductive health matters are addressed in the political arena.

Kelly Baden, Vice President for Public Policy at the Guttmacher Institute, a leading organization dedicated to advancing reproductive rights, underscored Harris's bold and direct approach to discussing abortion. “She talks about abortion rights, and she talks about it unapologetically,” Baden commented. “She makes the connection between all facets of reproductive health care and abortion rights.” This candid approach aims to elevate the visibility of reproductive health issues and emphasize their interconnectedness with broader health care concerns.

Extensive research has consistently demonstrated that restricted access to abortion has significant and wide-ranging health implications. States with stringent abortion laws often experience higher rates of both infant and maternal mortality. Women in these states face substantial obstacles in accessing OB/GYN care, with financial constraints compounding these challenges. Furthermore, increasingly restrictive abortion laws are deterring medical students from pursuing careers in states where abortion is banned, exacerbating the shortage of healthcare professionals in these regions.

Harris’s dedication to addressing these issues has been evident throughout her campaign activities this year. Her historic visit to a Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Paul, Minnesota, in March marked a significant moment, as she became the first sitting Vice President, and the first sitting President or Vice President, to visit a clinic that provides abortions. This visit underscores her commitment to bringing reproductive health issues to the forefront of the national conversation.

Christina Reynolds, Senior Vice President for Communications and Content at EMILY’s List, an organization that supports pro-abortion-rights women in politics, noted the increased prominence of reproductive health issues due to Harris’s advocacy. “Vice President Harris has made this an incredibly important part of her work on the campaign trail,” Reynolds stated. “What this means, fundamentally, is that it’s going to get a lot more attention.”

Should Harris secure the Democratic nomination, her campaign is expected to emphasize abortion rights as a central issue. Drew Altman, CEO of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), anticipates that Harris will focus intensely on this topic. “I expect to see her focus on one issue: abortion,” Altman said, noting that KFF polling indicates that abortion rights “energizes voters more than anything else,” particularly in key battleground states like Arizona.

Jolynn Dellinger, a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke Law School, highlighted Harris’s effective linkage of abortion care restrictions to broader health care access issues. Dellinger observed that Harris’s discourse includes addressing the severe consequences of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade. “She’s linking the inability to get abortion care in states that have criminalized abortion to the shutting down of clinics that provided other kinds of care,” Dellinger explained.

In contrast, President Biden’s recent State of the Union address notably omitted any explicit reference to abortion, despite his support for reproductive rights. Biden’s Catholic faith has previously influenced his reticence to address abortion directly. Similarly, abortion issues received limited attention at the recent Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Former President Donald Trump’s son Eric appeared to downplay the significance of abortion, focusing instead on broader policy concerns. Nevertheless, the Republican platform continues to include language related to the 14th Amendment, which anti-abortion-rights activists use to advocate for fetal personhood.

Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance, initially supported a national abortion ban but later suggested that abortion policies should be determined at the state level. Kristan Hawkins, President of the anti-abortion-rights group Students for Life Action, criticized Eric Trump’s dismissal of the issue as “disappointing” and urged the GOP to reinforce its stance against abortion.

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, voters have increasingly supported measures to protect abortion rights through ballot initiatives in at least seven states. This year, additional pro-abortion-rights measures are expected to appear on ballots in six states. Kristi Hamrick, Vice President of Media and Policy for Students for Life Action, anticipates that these initiatives will mobilize both pro- and anti-abortion rights voters. “I do think that one result of Biden being now gone from the race is that it does elevate the life issue in that the Democrats want more abortion and the Republicans, we believe and hope, want less,” Hamrick stated.

If Harris becomes the Democratic nominee, it is anticipated that the GOP will be compelled to address abortion issues more directly. Drew Altman highlighted that Harris’s focus on abortion rights has proven to be an effective strategy thus far. “Talking about access to abortion care has been a winning card for Harris so far,” Altman remarked. “I would expect to see her dial that up tremendously.” This anticipated focus could further shift the national conversation on reproductive health, emphasizing the significant impact of political leadership on this critical issue.