Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., told Newsmax he believes the Democrats will use the likely overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court as a means to galvanize voters in the upcoming 2022 midterm election.
"The Democrats are in a really tough spot right now, because when it comes to the issues that are going to characterize, I think most of the campaigns as we head into the fall, they're on the losing hand," Thune said on "Spicer & Co."
"So they're trying to use this politically to try and energize Democratic voters in hopes that they can cause this intensity gap that they have as we head into the midterm elections."
On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, according to Yahoo News, promised that the Senate would vote on a bill to protect abortion rights by next week.
"We are focused like a laser on getting this vote shortly and on the 2022 elections," Schumer, D-N.Y., said at the Capitol steps.
Thune added that "this is something that Schumer and Democrats have been hoping and wishing for. Now, honestly, we're going to have to deal with this issue at some point. The official decision is going to come out sometime, late June, early July, but they want to accelerate that. I think this is all very calculated on their part because they think again that
this is an issue that swings votes for them."
"But I will tell you, that Schumer, I think internally, and the Democrat[s] had hoped, and do hope, that this will be that issue to galvanize Democratic senators in a way that they would vote to get rid of the legislative filibuster, blow up the Senate and give them an opportunity to pack the court" and pass parts of their agenda.
Thune, who is seeking reelection, faces Mark Mowry and Bruce Whalen in the June 7 GOP primary. The Democratic primary has been canceled, and Brian Bengs has advanced to the Nov. 8 general election ballot, according to Ballotpedia.
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