The recent vote in Ohio is just one of a string of cases where voters show they mostly support abortion access to some extent (1). Polls show the same. (2) So why do Republicans (specifically Republican politicians, not necessarily Republican voters) keep trying to do something unpopular?
My (perhaps cynical) view of Republican politicians is that they’re the “do anything to win” party. They would take any stance and pull any trick if it would give them a better chance of winning. So why are they so stuck on a losing issue?
It is fairly common among Catholics. I’ve known some fairly progressive Catholics who are Republicans because abortion. Now, that isn’t to say that a good number haven’t bought into the divisive rhetoric and gone full maga, but that’s not where they started.