That's the headscratching thing. The Republicans finally grew enough of a pair once 80% of the country said they would pat them on the back, and the Democrats still said screw their constituents, and screw women in sports, we'll kill the bill anyway. It was the easiest political win they're going to get for a while, and they wouldn't take it. It won't happen, but I hope the majority of them get primaried next time around. At least half of them don't even disagree with the bill as far as I can tell from their history, but they've reached a point where one side of the aisle--if not both--is happy to cut off their nose to spite their face. Yay.
That issue had wide bipartisan support.....everywhere but in Congress.
This issue afflicts both sides. The problems are insufficient participation in primaries and gerrymandered districts, allow me to explain with a couple examples:
Suppose that the country is 50/50 R/D. Now suppose that 20% of the country is for an outright ban on abortion and another 20% is for open borders. Further suppose that essentially all of those for an outright ban on abortion are R's and nearly all of those for open borders are D's.
You would *THINK* that these people wouldn't be able to get their way because even if the 20% for an outright ban on abortion are all R's they still only make up 40% of R's so they *SHOULD* lose primaries 60-40. Similarly, the 20% for open borders should lose Democratic Primaries 60-40. Further, even if one of the R's for an outright ban on abortion snuck through the primary process somehow, they'd get slaughtered in the general election where this position is 80-20 unfavorable. Similarly, if an open borders D snuck through the primary process they'd get slaughtered in the general election where this is a 80-20 unfavorable position.
In practice it doesn't actually work this way. Participation in primary elections is a fraction of participation in General Elections and, at least generally, those who are most likely to participate in primaries are those furthest toward the wings and furthest away from the center. Consequently, in the Republican Primary electorate a position that only has 20% national support and only 40% R support may well have majority support. Similarly, in the Democratic Primary electorate a position that only has 20% national support and only 40% D support may well have majority support.
Then on to the general election. Most Congresspeople have no real reason to fear losing a general election. There are a few swing districts but these are, by far, the exception. Realistically the biggest threat to a Congressperson's continuation in office is a Primary Challenge - FROM THE FRINGE of their own party. Ie, Democrats are more likely to be taken out by a MORE leftist Democrat and Republicans are more likely to be taken out by a MORE rightest Republican than either are to be taken out by a more moderate member of the other party.
This is the mental calculus behind Republican officeholders supporting severe restrictions on abortion that seem to have only token national support and it is also the mental calculus behind Democratic officeholders supporting men in women's sports and open borders.