Abortion Politics

The Biden Administration is suing to stop Texas from implementing a new law that bans all abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detectable—which is around six weeks of pregnancy. That’s a stricter standard than the US Supreme Court established as the minimum constitutional right in Roe v. Wade. And so, once again, the issue of abortion is front and center in the talking points and campaign fundraising appeals of politicians across the political spectrum. Why is abortion such an emotional and important issue in American politics? Top of Mind regulars Chris Karpowitz and Grant Madsen discuss. Karpowitz is a professor of political science, and Madsen is a professor of history at Brigham Young University.