The Senate on Wednesday failed to pass a bill that would make Roe v. Wade the law of the land, sinking the first legislative attempt to enshrine the right to abortion into law since the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion that would overturn the landmark decision. Democrats were unable to overcome a filibuster on the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022. The effort failed 49-51 with West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin joining every Republican, meaning the measure would have failed even if it had come to the floor for an up-or-down vote. "It is not Roe v. Wade codification, it is an expansion," Manchin told reporters of his vote. "We should not be dividing this country further than we're already divided." Polls show most Americans support abortion rights, and Democrats hope the fight over abortion access drives them to victory in the midterm elections. The vote allows Democrats in the Senate to draw a distinct comparison between themselves and Senate Republicans, the vast majority of whom are anti-abortion. "Every American is going to see where every Senator stands on protecting one of the most important rights a woman has regarding her own body," Schumer said Monday on the Senate floor. "No more running, no more hiding, the vote will shine light on every single one of us. It’ll be like a floodlight and we’ll each have to make our position clear." To read more, click the link in our bio. / 📸: Samuel Corum/Getty Images