MADISON, Wis. – When Wisconsin Republicans running for governor responded to the news that the Supreme Court will likely end 50 years of protecting access to safe and legal abortion in the United States, it became clear where Rebecca Kleefisch, Tim Michels, Kevin Nicholson, and Tim Ramthun stand. If elected, these Republicans will go further than the 1849 law and ban abortions without any exceptions.
- Kleefisch told Milwaukee’s Fox 6 that she supports a total ban on abortion in Wisconsin even in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life of a patient, and once agreed that rape victims should “turn lemons to lemonade” by carrying a pregnancy resulting from the assault.
- Michels said during his run for Senate in 2004 that it was “not unreasonable” to force rape victims to give birth.
- Nicholson told an advocacy group he would ban abortions “in all cases” without exceptions and once pledged to support an extreme “personhood” bill, which could criminalize fertility treatments like IVF.
- Ramthun also told the Journal Sentinel that, “I am hardcore, 100% pro-life without exceptions.”
All four candidates have been supported at some point in their political careers by Pro-Life Wisconsin, an extremist anti-abortion group that believes in banning abortion in all cases, and is now lobbying to remove exceptions for when a patient’s life is in danger from Wisconsin’s 1849 ban. The organization is even opposed to all forms of “artificial contraception.”
The Republican politicians in the race for governor have all staked out the most extreme stance on reproductive health care. This is despite the fact that 61% of Wisconsinites believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
Governor Evers will continue doing the right thing to protect the decision making rights of those who want an abortion. He is the last line of defense in Wisconsin on protecting access to abortion and has vetoed nine bills restricting abortion and reproductive health care pushed by Wisconsin Republicans.
“Republicans running for Governor support stripping away access to abortion and reproductive care,” said Hannah Menchhoff, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Rapid Response Director. “This runs counter to the opinion of the majority of Wisconsinites, who oppose extreme bans on abortion. Gov. Tony Evers stands with Wisconsinites and will always do the right thing and protect access to health care.”
