Politico: Democrats Divided on Parental Consent for Minors Seeking Abortions

Following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision and ahead of 2024 elections, Democrats “have been eager” to align themselves in support of pro-abortion legislation, Politico reported on Wednesday. 

But when getting into specifics, not all Democrats are supportive of radical bills that would strip parents of their right to know if their children are seeking abortions.

“Some Democrats see repealing parental notification and consent laws as a political liability, particularly as conservatives push ‘parents’ rights’ to win popular support for changing school curricula and banning certain books from libraries,” according to the report. 

Democrats who are less inclined to go against parents to further their abortion agenda are reportedly “frustrating some abortion rights advocates who want lawmakers to do whatever they can to expand access as red and purple states…debate or pass new restrictions of the procedure.” 

The report cites polling data from Pew Research Center showing “overwhelming support” for keeping parental notification and consent laws in place. The poll, which was conducted last year, found that 70 percent of Americans support parental notification for minors seeking abortions, including 57 percent of Democrats. More than 50 percent of Americans also reported supporting parental consent laws. 

That sentiment exists in nearly three-quarters of states, “including liberal enclaves like Colorado, Maryland, and Massachusetts” which have laws requiring parental consent or notification before a minor is able to obtain an abortion.

“And while bills to repeal or amend parental involvement laws were or will be introduced this year in Minnesota, Oregon and Michigan, their fate is uncertain,” the report states. 

Some pro-abortion groups in left-leaning states have instead chosen to leave parental rights alone in favor of pursuing other pro-abortion legislation, according to the report. A few of those efforts include constitutional amendments enshrining abortion on the state-level, expanding insurance coverage of abortion, and passing laws blocking law enforcement from going after abortionists and women and girls seeking abortions. 

Politico used especially colorful language to describe pro-life groups, painting them as “eager” to “make a case that Democrats are the extremists when it comes to abortion” and that they are “seizing on the issue” and are “pouncing” on the Democrat divide. The outlet cited the ongoing campaign in Ohio against a proposed abortion ballot measure, which warns parents about being shut out of their children’s decision if they vote for the initiative. 

However, Democrat strategists told the outlet they “welcome the debate on which party is more extreme,” pointing to Republican-led legislation protecting unborn babies from abortion. Martha McKenna, a strategist who has held top positions at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the feminist organization EMILY’s List, said that the “conversation about parental consent is not happening in a vacuum for voters.”

“Idaho is saying you can’t leave the state to get an abortion. The courts are saying you can’t get an abortion pill to manage an early abortion. Florida is saying nothing after six weeks. This is a much, much bigger problem for Republicans in the short and the long term,” McKenna said.