Armand Jackson

Since the Supreme Court conservative majority ruled 6-3 in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, and 5-4 to overturn Roe, the landscape of reproductive rights has drastically changed with many states already placing restrictions or outright bans on the practice of abortions with no exemptions of rape, incest, or danger to the well-being of the patient. Since the ruling, Wisconsin’s 1849 law that banned almost all abortions, has immediately taken into effect again, adding a multitude of restrictions and possible penalties. Now, physicians in states like Wisconsin have to worry about navigating the legal ramifications made by state legislatures instead of fulfilling their oath of doing whatever is best for their patients.

There are those however who viewed the Supreme Court’s decision as a victory of conservative values. Rebecca Kleefisch, a Republican candidate for Wisconsin’s 2022 Governor race, is known for her anti-choice stance. In response to the ruling, Kleefisch made a press release on her campaign site stating: “One day, we will all look back on Roe v. Wade as one of the U.S. Supreme Court’s most egregious cases that allowed the killing of more than 60 million babies over nearly half a century.” When asked in a FOX 6 Milwaukee interview if she supports an exemption for rape or incest, Kleefisch replied, “No, because I don’t think it’s the baby’s fault how the baby is conceived.”

Incumbent Governor Tony Evers, who is running for reelection, supports abortion rights. He attempted to overturn the 1849 law but his efforts were blocked by the state’s Republican majority legislature who opposed expansion of reproductive rights. In his response to the Supreme Court ruling he stated: “I will never stop fighting to make sure that every single Wisconsinite has the right to consult their family, their faith, and their doctor to make the reproductive healthcare decision that is right for them, and without interference from politicians or members of the Supreme Court who don’t know anything about their life circumstances, values, or responsibilities.”