President Biden’s State of the Union address underscored the unprecedented assault on freedom and democracy in the United States, drawing parallels with the Civil War era. Biden’s warning came amidst increasing attacks on reproductive rights, highlighted by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, effectively challenging women’s autonomy and signaling a contentious electoral issue.

The court’s decision not only removed the constitutional right to abortion but also arguably conflicts with constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment and due process, particularly in cases of rape and incest. That ruling forces victims to carry pregnancies to term, often seen as an unjust punishment without due process, suggesting decisions on abortion should be private and involve only those directly affected.

Simultaneously, the nation grapples with the devastating impact of gun violence, which was brought home for Mainers by the mass shooting in Lewiston last October, which intensified the call for comprehensive gun control legislation. The issues of abortion and gun control have galvanized a previously fragmented Democratic base, particularly women, who are directly threatened and motivated to act.

The upcoming elections present an opportunity for sweeping changes, with all congressional representatives, numerous senators, governors and local officials up for election. Leadership in this fight, crucially, falls to women, who, by virtue of their lived experiences and roles in society, are at the forefront of the abortion debate and deeply affected by gun violence. Their votes are pivotal in electing representatives who will support reproductive freedom and enact meaningful gun control measures.

Statistics show broad support for reproductive rights and gun control among American voters, indicating a significant potential for change if mobilized effectively. Female leaders, officials and grassroots activists must emphasize the critical importance of these issues in the upcoming election, urging women to prioritize candidates’ stances on abortion and gun control. Their success will depend upon those issues – and simple math.

Without minimizing the role of men on the abortion issue, it is a female issue. Women are mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and, more important, they bear children. Despite passionate support of pro-choice women, men don’t have babies and will never face abortion of a fetus from their bodies. Similarly, women are losing their babies – of all ages – to mass murders and gun violence. Men will mourn, but never experience the bond of mother and child or the pain of losing a child to whom they gave birth.

Pro-life activists wanting to restrict women’s right to reproductive freedom, who view embryos as people with full protection of the law, are generally the same ones who want to restrict gun controls that permit killing of the living, including children. Apparently, those people have not been impacted enough by abortion or gun violence, personally, to change their minds. The only way to affect them is to vote them out. Their forced-birther base and gun-control opponents alone cannot sustain them.

Biden’s address acknowledged threats to democracy extending beyond abortion and gun violence. However, those issues represent the most uniting concerns among women, capable of rallying a powerful electoral force. Electing representatives supportive of reproductive freedom and gun control not only addresses these critical issues but also counters broader threats to democracy.

The success of pro-choice activists post-Roe reversal exemplifies the enormous potential of women’s collective electoral and political power. Mobilizing this force in the next election through focused advocacy and voter mobilization can restore fundamental American values of privacy, liberty, self-determination and full citizenship for women, thereby preserving democracy.

By centering on these unifying issues, female leadership and voters, supported by male allies, have the opportunity to effect significant change. This “simple math” of mobilization and advocacy can indeed save the Republic, emphasizing the critical intersection of reproductive rights, gun control and the preservation of democratic values.

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