WASHINGTON — The partisan primary election in Wisconsin is on Aug. 13. State Sen. André Jacque, former state lawmaker Roger Roth and businessman Tony Wied are all vying to fill the empty eighth congressional district seat in northeastern Wisconsin that Mike Gallagher left in April.
In a debate last week hosted by a business association, the three Republicans had similar perspectives on issues such as combating inflation and securing the southern border.
Abortion policy is where Jacque differs from Roth and Wied. While all three are anti-abortion, Wied and Roth support exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.
“The Dobbs decision made clear that these policies are best made at the state level – closest to the people,” a campaign spokesman for Roth said. “Roger has always defended life, fighting to protect the innocent and unborn, including authoring the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Like President Trump, Roger supports exceptions for circumstances like rape, incest and life of the mother.”
Jacque said this about those cases.
“I don't believe in discriminating on the basis of conception,” he said. “If a life is worthy of protection, the basis under which that life was conceived, I don't believe, is something that should disqualify the humanity of the child. So I'm basically saying, in the justice system, we do not hold the child responsible for the crimes of their parents. This would be an extension of that.”
Jacque has the endorsement of the anti-abortion group Pro-Life Wisconsin, while Wied is endorsed by Former President Donald Trump.
During his first term, Trump appointed three of the six Supreme Court justices who ended the constitutional right to an abortion. Trump now says it’s better that each individual state decides whether to limit or ban abortion, which is something both Wied and Roth agree with.
“You have the ability now to work through your state legislatures to find the answer as it relates to your state,” Roth said.
“I think that's where it belongs, in the people's hands right here in the state of Wisconsin,” Wied said.
Asked about the state-level approach, Jacque said he was focused on working with a second Trump administration on the issue.
Whoever wins the August primary will face Democrat Dr. Kristin Lyerly in the general election this November. As an OB-GYN, she has made it a campaign issue to protect reproductive rights.
“The pro-choice issue has been so successful for Democrats, that it might — depending on the dynamics of the rest of the campaign — might be very influential in the Green Bay congressional district,” said Mordecai Lee, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Though it could be a competitive race, Republicans are expected to retain the seat.