Republicans test-drive post-Roe push for abortion limits in Virginia elections

Virginia’s legislative elections on Tuesday will test Republicans’ post-Roe push for abortion limits.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Republicans running for seats in the state’s newly drawn legislative districts have rallied around a 15-week abortion ban to challenge Democrats’ charge that they want to outlaw the procedure altogether.

“This year’s elections in Virginia are particularly important because it is the first opportunity to see whether Republicans have an effective message with the 15-week abortion ban proposal,” said Stephen Farnsworth, director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. “Republicans have been suffering politically ever since the Supreme Court revised Roe v. Wade, and Republicans in Virginia have largely campaigned on the 15-week ban as an alternative to being fully pro-life.

“Will that work? We will know after Tuesday,” he said. “If it does work, expect Republicans across the country next year to sound like Virginia politicians this year.”