In the past, Steel, Garcia and Valadao have quietly backed an array of antiabortion efforts. All three signed onto a brief asking the Supreme Court to end federal protections for abortion and they each carry A+ ratings from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a politically powerful antiabortion group.

Steel, running for reelection in one of Southern California’s most closely watched races, signed onto the Life at Conception Act as a co-sponsor 16 months ago. Now, despite her support for the measure, she says discussions “surrounding a nationwide ban on abortion are purely hypothetical at this point.”

Polling has consistently found that most Americans support some restrictions on abortion but did not want Roe to be overturned. For decades, Republicans have used abortion as a potent galvanizing issue for their base, particularly religious conservatives. But after the Dobbs ruling, there are signs that Democrats are more motivated. A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll released last week showed that 91% of California Democrats consider the issue important when deciding how to vote in congressional, state and local races.

“Dobbs has changed the reality of the abortion debate, and I don’t think everybody understands that yet,” Balma said.