Fifty-one years ago, Roe v. Wade was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, becoming the law of the land on abortion rights in America, until it was overturned in 2022.
The change in precedent from the nation’s highest court created confusion in states across the country, including in Wisconsin, where the law reverted to a total ban first put into place in 1849.
After almost 15 months of no procedures in Wisconsin, abortions resumed in the wake of a circuit court ruling. However, the fight is hardly over for Vice President Kamala Harris, who kicked off her "Fight for Reproductive Freedoms" tour in the Badger State on Monday.
The visit to Waukesha County marked Harris’ fifth trip to Wisconsin since taking office. Though the trip was in an official capacity, the vice president wasn’t shy about telling supporters what she believes is at stake in November.
“The former president handpicked three Supreme Court justices because he intended for them to overturn Roe,” Harris told the crowd gathered at the Painters & Allied Trades International Union building in Big Bend.
Harris wasted no time and called out her running mate’s presumed opponent during her speech.
Donald Trump comfortably carried Waukesha County, where Harris spoke, in both 2016 and 2020. However, election results show Democrats could be making inroads, especially Joe Biden, who won a higher vote share in the GOP stronghold than both Clinton and Obama.
“This is not a partisan issue,” Harris said. “Tens of millions of Americans in red states and blue, including here in Wisconsin, marched to the polls in defense of fundamental freedoms.”
The vice president also used the opportunity to rally against Wisconsin Republicans who introduced a 14-week abortion bill last week, which includes exceptions for the life and health of the mother but would shorten the current timeframe for legal abortions by six weeks.
“In a state whose motto is ‘Forward,’ these extremists are trying to take us backward, but we’re not having that,” Harris added.
During Harris’ visit to Wisconsin, Republicans held a public hearing on their 14-week abortion ban legislation, which drew criticism from Democrats who spoke before the vice president gave her remarks.
“They are proposing another abortion ban here in Wisconsin. They aren’t listening to us,” Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez said. “They aren’t listening to what Wisconsinites want.”
The latest proposal from Republicans would put the question of an abortion ban after 14 weeks of pregnancy to Wisconsin voters this spring if approved by lawmakers. However, Democrat Gov. Tony Evers has already vowed to veto the measure.
Meanwhile, Republicans in Wisconsin called out the vice president for not visiting the southern border and instead drew attention to the issue of illegal immigration.
“Vice President Kamala Harris is in Wisconsin today for one reason and one reason only: they’re losing this election,” Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Brian Schimming told reporters on a press call Monday. “The fact of the matter is, where she ought to be is in a different zip code. She ought to be down by the U.S.-Mexico border. America is at severe risk of terror right now because of the Biden-Kamala Harris open border policies.”