The "women's issues" crowd are the protestors from the 60's and early 70's. Abortion is an issue to them, because they remember when birth control was hard to come by (the pill was not generally available, and condoms were sold in men's rooms in sleazy joints), and abortions were done in back alleys, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Of course, prior to DNA testing, many men could escape responsibility for a child.
They're also against the war in Nam (and all wars are equal to Nam in their minds).
They're also against the limits on job opportunities for women and Blacks that existed when they were young.
They're caught in a time warp. "Women's issues" are more aptly "issues 60+ women had 25+ years ago". Younger women don't relate to those issues any more than most women alive today relate to the fight to get the right to vote.
There was a problem; it's been fixed, now get over it!
Dems do not fix problems. They identify them and accuse Republicans of stopping their ability to 'fix the problem.'
Locally or nationally, fixing problems is not in their self-interest. Now, too many of their traditional constituents - all identified by some minority status - are realizing that life could be better if they do not stay in the 'victimized' category.
So these forward lookers are looking at Republicans!