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BOSTON — To pundits, the midterm election was supposed to be a referendum on inflation. They predicted a massive red wave, with Republicans sweeping the Senate and the House. That didn’t happen — and to Chelsea Clinton, that just showed the disconnect between their takes and the reality for voters.

For many Americans, “protecting a woman’s fundamental human right and agency and also our democracy were the most important considerations when they were casting their votes,” Clinton said on a panel about abortion care Tuesday at the STAT Summit. “I’d like to establish that, of course, there’s a connection between supporting our democracy and ensuring that women are able to fully participate in the civic and social life of our country.”

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Kristyn Brandi, an OB-GYN from New Jersey, has vivid memories of the day the Dobbs decision came down. She was getting texts and calls from other abortion care providers around the country. “They were providing care one minute and suddenly they had to stop,” she said. Even in her own state, she said, she often gets calls from patients, asking if abortion is legal. “There’s just mass confusion, even in places where there’s no restrictions,” she said.

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