With all 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives up for grabs in November, abortion could become a divisive topic as Democrats and Republicans try to gain majority representation, said Rep. Mark Meadows, D-East Lansing.

Charles Matzke, an MSU political science professor, said abortion can “consolidate a certain constituency” and allow politicians to solidify support from individual voters and special interest groups. Abortion, Matzke said, will help legislators bring the Christian Right into the fold.

“What we’ve developed in society is numerous groups that are uncompromising on their stand on certain issues,” he said. “Oftentimes these groups have far too much influence in American politics and politicians feel they have to placate every single interest group to get votes.”

Suanne Thompson, legislative liaison for the anti-abortion group Right to Life of Michigan, said the organization is working closely with lawmakers and has nine bills in the Legislature and could have four more introduced by March.

“We’re finding more and more people are turning pro-life, especially younger people,” she said.

Thompson, who has worked with Rep. Dave Robertson, R-Grand Blanc, on abortion legislation vetoed in 2004 and reintroduced Jan. 22, said the bill initially failed because of its controversial nature during an election year. Although 2008 is another election year, Thompson said the bill isn’t meant to draw the conservative vote.

The bill would prevent judge shopping, in which a minor seeking an abortion attempts to waive parental consent by finding a judge that would rule in favor of the minor.

Bill Nowling, spokesman for the Michigan Republican Party, said abortion could be a key issue among candidates in Catholic-heavy areas such as southern Wayne County and Macomb County. He said traditionally conservative areas on the state’s west side and places such as rural Ingham County could emphasize abortion.

Although the abortion issue has strong emotions invested in it, Meadows said proposed Michigan abortion legislation is more of a bother than political progress.

“They introduced these to cause conflict,” Meadows said. “They don’t have a chance (at passing).”

Even though Meadows said many of the bills probably won’t become laws, they could have an impact in November.

“They will pick a Democrat, and if he’s in a marginal district, the Republicans will run an ad that says, ‘Joe Schmo doesn’t support a ban on partial-birth abortion,’” he said. “They will make that an issue in the campaign, and for some people in marginal districts that makes it very tough.”

Robertson said his bill is not a wedge issue because it has received bipartisan attention.

“If this was a wedge issue, this was originally introduced by a Democrat,” Robertson said. “So who is doing the wedging? How do you explain that it was wedging when it came from both sides of the aisle?”

The time is right for abortion dialogue, Thompson said.

“Last year, our bills didn’t get much hearing because of the budget,” she said. “And the economy is so important, but really the life issues are really key.”

Matzke said abortion could derail progress on what Republicans and Democrats identify as the more pressing issues. The emotional nature of abortion makes the topic more draining as well, Matzke said, adding that Republicans tend to put social issues higher on the party platform than Democrats.

“It certainly complicates the process and it slows it down,” he said. “As long as politicians have a constituency with strong opinions on this issue, they’re going to run with it.”