A Surprising Group Turned Out in Lower Numbers for Midterms: Democratic Women

  • Pew study shows Republicans enjoyed turnout advantage
  • Despite abortion issue, GOP closed the gender gap in midterms
Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg
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Republicans took back the US House last year with the help of a significant turnout advantage, as Democrats — particularly Democratic women — actually failed to vote nationwide in the same numbers they did in the previous midterm election, according to a new analysis of voter data.

That analysis, released by the Pew Research Center Wednesday, cuts against one of the prevailing narratives of the 2022 midterm elections: That the Supreme Court’s decision overturning the nationwide right to an abortion energized women voters and held Republicans to a historically small majority in the House.