...But I believe I have defined the issue....
IMO, you may have defined part of the issue.
When is the last time you talked w/ several college-aged women about their views on abortion? We desperately need to let them know that in a free society abortion would probably be legal in at least several states.
Umm, no it wouldn't, and I think there's probably just as many women against abortion as for it, certainly if you are talking about conservative women most would be against it, but that is moot anyway, very few voters male or female are listing abortion as their deciding factor.