E-Blast: May Hot Takes: The Fight for Reproductive Rights and the Midterm Election

JUNE 9, 2022

TYPE:
Eblast
AUDIENCE:
Economy/Inflation, Race and Racism, Reproductive Justice, Public Safety, African-Americans, Women, Millennials, Gen Z

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HIT NEWSLETTER

May Hot Takes: The Fight for Reproductive Rights and the Midterm Election

Last month, reproductive rights were brought to the forefront with the leaked SCOTUS draft opinion on Roe v. Wade. In it, the Supreme Court describes its intent to overturn Roe and take away a key health care option for millions of women.

HIT Strategies founding partner Roshni Nedungadi has been sounding the alarm on Roe’s potential reversal and how the Democratic Party needs to make reproductive rights the central midterm election issue.

Roshni spoke with POLITICO about the leaked SCOTUS draft opinion on Roe v. Wade and the HIT focus group that was in session at the time. Prior to the news breaking, the focus group did not think Roe could be overturned. After informing the group of the news, participants were palpably angry.

Roshni also spoke to The Hill about the real time reactions of the HIT focus group during the SCOTUS opinion leak. Nedungadi described how the participants were shocked to hear the news and wanted somewhere to direct their anger.

Additionally, Roshni talked about the focus group responses with The New York Times, recounting how the participants were angry and upset upon hearing the news of the leaked SCOTUS document. She added that they wanted to punish those that were responsible for this decision.

Roshni conveyed to The Grio that the real time focus group responses also alluded to channeling their emotions into a motivation to vote in the midterm elections and making sure that their family and friends vote as well.

In an article with USA Today, Roshni discussed HIT Strategies’ BlackTrack research examining Black voter views on abortion restrictions. She stated that 72% of Black voters would be more motivated to vote in the midterms if abortion access was threatened – similar to the sentiments heard in the real time reactions of the HIT focus group.

The same BlackTrack research was quoted in an article in Split Ticket.

HIT founding partner Terrance Woodbury spoke with Yahoo News about Trumpism and the GOP platform.

Terrance spoke with The Hill about Democratic voters and how they perceive the Democratic Party. Referencing HIT focus groups, Woodbury stated that voters want the party to address hot-button social issues head-on and a failure to do so will result in losses or low turnout in the midterm election.

The Grio quoted HIT’s BlackTrack research examining top issues for Black voters.

The Hill also quoted HIT’s BlackTrack research, surveying President Biden’s approval rating amongst Black voters.

Terrance and HIT Research Manager Ashley Aylward co-authored an op-ed in Blavity, marking the two-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. They discuss our approach to public safety, police brutality, and the reforms that need to take place to prevent the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of aggressive policing.