Ask Justice Alito: How much sway do female lawmakers really have in the abortion fight?

It’s been two weeks since a 98-page leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion spelled near-certain death for federal protections of abortion access across the nation. But Associate Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the draft opinion, seemed to want to put women at ease if states become the decision makers on the abortion front.

On page 61, Alito offered simple suggestions to empower women:  Just run for state office. Lobby legislators. Vote. Influence public opinion.

“Women are not without electoral or political power,” Alito wrote.

But for many women who have tried to get into political office, the idiom applies: Alito’s suggestions are easier said than done, in part because males often outnumber females in the political sphere.

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