Why many Republicans are scrambling and scrubbing on abortion

Republicans are still virtually certain to take over the House. The Senate seems a tossup. But there is no question that the abortion issue has changed the midterm playing field.

The relentless media focus on the Donald Trump investigation isn’t helping either, when Republicans want to be talking about inflation and Joe Biden. But there are clear signs that potential Democratic voters are fired up and may turn out in larger numbers in November.

The latest Wall Street Journal poll finds 52% of white suburban women say they would support a Democratic candidate this fall, with 40% saying they would back the Republican. That’s a sharp turnaround, given that the suburbs are where national elections are won or lost. And women are, well, a rather large constituency.