The Intersection of Religion and Abortion in American Politics

The fall of Roe v. Wade has shifted the importance of abortion as a political issue among religiously unaffiliated Americans, who now prioritize it more than white evangelical Protestants. Surveys show that abortion has become increasingly important to nonreligious Americans, making them potential "abortion voters" and a crucial part of the Democratic base. The Dobbs decision has galvanized nonreligious Americans, who are more united in support for legal abortion than white evangelicals are in opposition. The issue of abortion may also influence Americans' views about religion, potentially strengthening the link between rejecting religion and supporting abortion rights. However, organizing nonreligious Americans around a shared cause or identity is challenging, unlike religious groups.