Despite the heightened controversy over abortion, including debate over “heartbeat” bills, Planned Parenthood taxpayer subsidies, and a new Supreme Court justice, Democrats didn’t even utter the word abortion during the most recent debate nights. After a brief tussle over abortion on both nights of the first debate, there was no mention of abortion or reproductive rights on Tuesday night and only a couple mentions of the Hyde Amendment on Wednesday night.

Abortion’s absence from the debates is significant and so are the possible reasons why.