Conservatives target abortion with new assault on Roe v Wade

Republicans and social conservatives are now waging their cultural war against reproductive rights, and are eagerly awaiting an upcoming case in Mississippi which could overturn US women’s constitutional right to abortion

Pro-choice protesters march outside the Texas State Capitol. PIcture: Getty

Some time in early 2016, Mitch McConnell, then the Republican senate majority leader, took a long look at his party’s future. He didn’t like what he saw. Due to rapidly changing demographics, he realised that unless it beefed up its base sharpish, the GOP was facing a slow walk into political irrelevance.

Donald Trump’s pitch to Republicans was crude but simple: instead of attempting to broaden the party’s base with a more socially progressive and ...