Putting the abortion issue on the ballot in several states brought out the left wing base to vote. Sweeping in people running for dog catcher all the way up to the governor.
There is definitely a dynamic going on here with abortion. To deny it just ignores the issue. It's like, "I don't believe me or mine should kill babies, but that's a personal decision that every person has a right to decide" kind of thing. It's one of those issues that allows one to say something different in the voting booth than in public, and it's high on the "most important issue" list.
Right to life is certainly a worthy hill to die on, but it doesn't say much for the state of our country when we are passing state Constitutional Amendments to declare a "right". I guess that is why they call many of us "boomercons" since we can't see the issue except in a particular objective way. Critical thinking is dead and gone.
Abortion was not on the ballot in Virginia, but the threat of pro-life legislation by GOP general assembly was.