Harris takes center stage in 2024 abortion fight

Vice President Harris has solidified her position as the Biden administration's top messenger on abortion rights, an issue the White House hopes will define the 2024 election cycle.

After a volatile year and a half in office, with Harris facing criticism over her ability to handle complex and sensitive issues such as immigration and voting rights, the vice president is raising the flag in the fight for reproductive rights. Ta.

Since the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, which abolished the constitutional right to abortion, Harris has traveled the country, visiting red states, blue states, and battleground states, speaking with activists, health care providers, and women affected by abortion bans. I've met you.

“As a leader, she was unique in being able to witness the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and when news broke that Roe v. Wade had been overturned,” Democratic veteran Karen Finney said. “It greatly inflamed the anger and fear that people felt at the time of the attack.” She is a strategist.

“Reproductive rights are related to a variety of issues,” Finney added. “It's very important to be able to say to the vice president, 'We understand, we hear you, we're fighting with you.'”

Abortion rights were an important issue for Harris even before the 2022 Dobbs decision.

she was approved When she ran for California attorney general in 2010, she received support from pro-abortion groups and has maintained strong ties with them ever since. While running for president in 2019, Harris advocated for requiring states with a history of restricting access to abortion to seek approval from the Justice Department before enacting new abortion laws. , vowed to put more federal guardrails on access to abortion.

Much of the Biden administration's messaging ahead of the 2024 election has focused on the continuing threat a Republican administration would pose to reproductive rights and broader personal freedoms.

“Because of Donald Trump, more than 1 in 3 American women of reproductive age don't have the freedom to make their own health care decisions. Now he and MAGA Republicans are trying to take back the White House. We are moving forward even further,” Biden-Harris 2024 campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement.

“In 2024, a vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is a vote to restore Roe, and a vote for Donald Trump is a vote to ban abortion nationwide. It is a gamble and we will continue to work to make sure all voters are aware of that,” she added.

Starting Monday, Harris will embark on a national tour highlighting the Biden administration's efforts to protect reproductive rights.

She will start in Wisconsin, a battleground state where abortion helped propel Democrats to victory in last year's crucial state Supreme Court race. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has vowed to fight the Republican supermajority in the Legislature, which just introduced a 14-week abortion ban.

The vice president's office said that during her visit, Harris will “highlight the harm caused by extreme abortion bans and share the stories of those affected in Wisconsin and across the country.”

“She also held extremists who proposed a nationwide abortion ban accountable, called on Congress to restore Roe's protections, and outlined steps the administration is taking to protect access to health care.” “I plan to explain,” he added.

Biden campaign aides and Democratic strategists believe Harris will be a particularly valuable asset in the campaign because of her ability to engage with young voters and voters of color, both of which helped the president win in 2020. This will be important in rebuilding the current coalition government.

“When you run for re-election, your first job is to strengthen your base, and Joe Biden hasn't done that fully yet. He's not where he needs to be with young voters. It's not where it should be for voters and some non-white voters,” said Jim Kessler, co-founder of the center-left think tank Third Way.

“Kamala can do a great job all over the place. The question of selection will definitely be at the forefront,” Kessler added.

One Democratic strategist noted that Harris has longstanding ties to pro-abortion activist groups and that her record on abortion clearly dates back to her days as a politician in California.

This track record gives her credibility on the issue, and is especially useful given how President Biden's views on abortion have shifted.

As a senator, Biden initially expressed skepticism about Roe v. Wade and previously supported the Hyde Amendment, which would have barred federal funding for most abortions.

Three of the largest abortion rights organizations — Reproductive Freedom for All, formerly known as NARAL, Family Planning Action Fund, and EMILY's List — all announced their plans in June, just before the first anniversary of Dobbs' death. He supported the re-election of Biden and Harris.

Angela Vasquez-Giroux, vice president of communications and research at Reproduction Freedom for All, recalled an event she co-hosted with Harris at Howard University in Washington, D.C., in April.

“People were very sensitive and responsive to her message and the way she delivered it,” Vazquez-Giroux said. “She's a Howard alumnus. She…sounded like someone who was genuine and very comfortable speaking to an audience of mostly young Black women and reproductive freedom advocates. She really seemed at home and in her element.”

Even Republicans are eyeing Harris' efforts as the face of the administration's abortion efforts.

2024 election coverage

Former Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Fox News that while she disagrees with Harris' policy views, the vice president has effectively tied Biden's broader policy message to reproductive rights. said.

McEnany said Wednesday that Harris' approach is “very powerful among women,” adding, “What's true is that Republicans lost all control on the abortion vote after Roe. Because she knows.”

“I think it's another really great proof that even your mortal enemies can now understand what a great messenger you are,” Vazquez Giroux said.