Joe Biden is setting up the fight over Roe v Wade as a central election issue

Abortion rights are just the type of issue that could fire up the Democrats’ supporter base to get out and vote during November’s midterms, writes Chris Stevenson

The US president has said ‘it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November’ (AP)

It is already clear that if the draft Supreme Court opinion overturning the landmark Roe v Wade judgment becomes a formal ruling, it will gut federal rights over abortion. The consequences will be far-reaching.

It is an issue upon which many Democrats and Republicans fundamentally disagree, a difference that can feel as wide as the Grand Canyon. And that means the decision will be leveraged by both parties.

Joe Biden set out the stall for the Democrats in his response to reports of the draft ruling, saying that his party would "be ready" for when any ruling is issued and that "basic fairness" means that Roe v Wade should not be overturned. In a number of tweets he also said that “it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November”. That is the month of the midterm elections at all levels of government, including Congress.