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The race for an open seat

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on the Wisconsin Supreme Court

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is heating up

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and you could expect to see

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a lot of campaign ads

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focused on abortion

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in the next few weeks.

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I'm Here & Now

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senior political reporter

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Zac Schultz.

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Just last summer

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the Wisconsin Supreme Court

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invalidated the state's

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1849 abortion law.

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The 4-3 decision

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by the court's

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liberal majority

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ruled the abortion laws

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passed since then

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nullified the 1849 law.

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The race this April

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won't change the balance

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of power on the court

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but we wanted to know how

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the candidates would have ruled

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if they'd been on the bench.

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The liberal candidate

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Judge Chris Taylor

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said she agreed

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with the majority

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and would have struck down

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the 1849 law.

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The conservative candidate

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Judge Maria Lazar

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wouldn't say how

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she would have ruled

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but stressed even if she won

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the conservatives on the court

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would still be in the minority

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so it wouldn't have changed

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the outcome or the decision.

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Lazar went on to stress

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she considers

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the issue of abortion settled

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when it comes to the court

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and any changes

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to current law should come

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from the Legislature.

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For more on this

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and other issues, visit

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pbswisconsin.org

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and click on the news tab.