Although the 1988 presidential campaign focused on a variety of issues – from the Pledge of Allegiance to prison furlough programs – the abortion issue was cited as the major issue of the election by nearly a third of voters interviewed by ABC News, according to USA Today (November 9, 1988). Voters also called into the APEX Campaign Hotline about abortion more then any other issue.

The APEX Campaign Hotline featured a phone recording on 12 issues that voters could review. Of the 3,500 Americans who used the line, the majority were curious about the candidates’ stand on abortion.

Over 2,000 pro-life “rescuers” have been arrested since the beginning of the year, and the rescue movement has been cited as pivotal in directing the nation’s attention towards the abortion issue. Throughout the month of October, while many voters were making their final decisions about their ballot choices, evening news broadcasts featured coverage of several pro-life rescue movements in major U.S. cities.