Supreme Court abortion ruling: Citizens predict how historic decision might impact midterm elections

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pro-life and pro-choice activists outside the Supreme Court predicted how the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade could influence voting in the midterm elections. 

“My brother said to me, ‘Tighe, what’s going to happen when this is over?’ I said ‘nothing,’” Tighe, a pro-choice activist, told Fox News. “Because there is no opposition party in the United States.”

The Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision Friday in a 5-4 vote, giving the states the authority to decide their abortion laws. 

The decision came just over four months before the November midterm elections.

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“If it does affect the midterms, it’ll be nominal,” a pro-life activist told Fox News. “But right now, Roe v. Wade was just overturned … that is insane.”

Another pro-life activist said the ruling would be “huge” for voting decisions.

“I do think there’s a lot of other things going on in the country. But, again, I do think this is the biggest issue,” the demonstrator said.

Michael, a pro-life activist, told Fox News, “The country is already too polarized on this issue.”

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“I don’t think it will be changing people’s votes,” Michael said.

“It may have an impact, but I don’t think it’s going to have a big impact. I think that inflation [and] gas prices, these are issues people are going to vote on.” 

Inflation reached a new 40-year record high in May, according to the Department of Labor. Meanwhile, average average gas prices surpassed $5 per gallon for the first time earlier this month. 

A USA Today/Suffolk University poll released Friday showed that just under 15% of likely voters viewed abortion as the most important election issue heading into the November midterms. 

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One pro-choice activist told Fox News the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would change her voting decisions.

“I think you absolutely have to support the candidates that make sure women’s rights are protected,” she said. 

Tighe, who said he has demonstrated on issues on Capitol Hill 30 years, said Democrats are equally as responsible as Republicans for the ruling. 

“They want all our rights gone,” Tighe said. “How can you explain a Democratic Party that has failed to move on Roe v. Wade to codify it 40 years. They don’t have the value system.”

Thomas Phibben contributed to this report