Will abortion issue end up hurting Democrats most?

When the Supreme Court sharply cut back on the boundaries of awoman's right to an abortion, political pundits predicted anexplosive political battle that would most hurt those Republicans andconservatives who have reaped a harvest of anti-abortion voteswithout having to work for them.

Now, the argument went, the pro-abortion forces will moveheadlong into the political arena; no longer sanguine about theSupreme Court's future role, they will hold to account electedofficials who favor ending or restricting legal abortions.

So far, that prediction looks pretty good. In the New Jerseygubernatorial race, for instance, Republican Rep. Jim Courter hasbeen busily …