The ripple effect of overturning Roe v. Wade

It’s nearly two years since the conservative Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the decision that had protected access to abortion for nearly 50 years, sparking a seismic series of events in American political history.

And if overturning Roe was indeed an earthquake, the aftershocks have been never-ending, although a unanimous court did prudently pull back this week from banning the abortion pill.

Dobbs vs. Jackson, the 2022 case that allowed states to ban or limit abortion in unprecedented — and unpopular — ways, also opened the door to countless other conversations and legislative actions that have upended women’s reproductive rights for multiple generations.

Would essentially kicking the issue to the states mean one could just vote to ban it completely? Yes, yes it did. Abortion is now banned in almost all circumstances in 14 states.

Would women who got abortions be thrown in jail? Some state lawmakers said enthusiastically, "yes!" and others have tried arresting women. Former President Donald Trump has said he’s open to punishing women.

Would doctors and anyone else who aided in the procurement of an illegal abortion be prosecuted or punished? Yes, in some cases.

Is contraception safe from the grasp of far-right judges and lawmakers? Not if you talk to Senate Republicans.

What about IVF — in vitro fertilization — a practice millions of women use to get pregnant, and one that 86% of Americans want to be kept legal? That’s also in the crosshairs as states like Alabama decided that destroying unused embryos was murder.

It’s unclear whether or not pro-life advocates for overturning Roe considered all the ramifications of getting what they wanted — including the political ones.

After all, it’s an election year, and these aftershocks keep rocking Republicans running for office all over the country, leading to headlines like these:

"Republicans Receive Nightmare Polling News."

And numbers like these: 63% of Americans say they could not support an elected official who believes in a nationwide abortion ban, 60% of Independents are unhappy that Roe was overturned and nearly 40% of Republicans say the same, and 59% of Americans believe abortion should be legal.

Every time Republicans manage to muscle past one ugly news cycle in which they’re in the spotlight for opposing women’s reproductive rights, another one puts them right back in it.

This week, a one-two punch: First, Southern Baptists representing almost 13 million members across the country voted on Wednesday to oppose IVF.

In Indianapolis, 10,000 delegates called "messengers" gathered at the annual Southern Baptist Convention and voted to "reaffirm the unconditional value and right to life of every human being, including those in an embryonic stage, and to only utilize reproductive technologies consistent with that affirmation."

On Thursday, the Senate took a procedural vote on a legislative package to protect IVF access, which Republicans killed.

Put aside the fact that efforts to criminalize IVF put Republicans in the uncomfortable and hypocritical position of having to oppose the creation of life while condemning the destruction of it, a familiar position given that pro-life advocates are sometimes against abortions even to save a mother’s life.

And put aside the fact that IVF is hugely popular across party lines and even among evangelicals. Threatening to limit, ban, or criminalize it is stupid math at any time, but especially in an election year.

The wildest part is that Republicans who thought overturning Roe was a practical win couldn’t envision just how much of a political loser it would turn out to be.

The 2022 midterm elections were a decisive victory for Democrats. Voters in battleground states like Michigan and Pennsylvania said abortion was the most important issue of that election, not GOP-favoring inflation or crime.

Before Dobbs the midterms looked very bad for Democrats. President Joe Biden had low approval ratings, voters were contending with economic malaise, crime, and a migrant crisis and midterms are usually bad for incumbent presidents.

But thanks to abortion, Dems were able to dam an impending red wave.

Conditions haven’t changed much. Biden’s approvals are still low, and the economy, crime and immigration are still important issues for many voters.

But women’s reproductive rights is still threatening to save the Democrats and Biden from another Trump administration and Republican wins down-ballot.

Overturning Roe is the bomb that keeps exploding. It could be the GOP’s nail in the coffin.

S.E. Cupp is the host of "S.E. Cupp Unfiltered" on CNN.