Election Day is less than 40 days away. Here's how abortion could affect the midterms

Democrats this fall are trying to buck history in the midterm elections by staying in control of Congress – and party leaders see abortion rights as the way to pull it off.

Following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, empowering state legislatures to ban abortion, the Democratic Party has put unprecedented resources into making this year's midterm elections a referendum on abortion access. As of the end of September, Democrats have already invested over $124 million in abortion-related television advertising — close to 20 times the amount the party spent on abortion ads during the previous midterm elections in 2018. 

All of that spending is for a reason: They're fighting an uphill battle against historical trends.