thanks very much. >> Thank you.
>> As we approach the first presidential election since the
overturning of Roe v Wade, abortion remains a central and
contentious issue for voters and candidates alike. Here and now,
reporter Aditi Debnath examines how this topic is shaping the
political landscape in our state and beyond.
>> Reporter. After the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision
in 2022, which overturned Roe v Wade, Wisconsin saw immediate
changes. Abortion services only to resume in late 2023
after a judge's ruling. This legal whiplash has kept the
issue at the forefront of political discourse even now.
>> There's a lot of confusion about what is allowable and what
institutions are comfortable for by choice.
playing a crucial role in both state and national races. In
Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race, the contrast between candidates
is stark. >> Democratic incumbent Senator
Tammy Baldwin has been a vocal advocate for abortion rights.
>> I am the leader in the fight to restore Roe v Wade through a
bill that I lead called the Women's Health Protection Act.
>> Baldwin's bill would codify the right to abortion into
federal law and ban states from passing additional restrictions
to abortion access. woman's pregnancy, she should
have a right to choose. >> Her Republican challenger,
Eric Hovde, has a different take.
line, different than Senator Baldwin is that there comes a
point where a baby can be born healthy and alive, that it's
unconscionable that you would terminate that child's life.
>> Hovde position reflects a broader trend among Republican
candidates grappling with the issue's complexity, a focus on
late term abortions. >> We know that overwhelming
majority of abortions take place within the first trimester.
>> Jenny Higgins, director of UW Madison's Collaborative for
Reproductive Equity, says late term abortions are rare
abortions that happen later than the first trimester happen for
excellent reasons. These reasons include fetal anomalies that
aren't detectable in the first trimester and can be fatal to
the fetus. Kamala Harris in the presidential race, former
President Donald Trump has gone as far to erroneously say his
opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, supports murdering
babies. Her vice presidential pick says abortion in the ninth
month is absolutely fine. >> He also says execution after
birth. It's execution no longer abortion because the baby is
born is okay, and that's not okay with me.
>> Vice President Harris, in her bid for president, recently
visited Wisconsin to highlight her administration's stance on
abortion. >> What these kinds of laws
mean, these kinds of laws. Under Trump, abortion bans, it means
doctors may have to wait until the patient is at death's door
before they take any action. >> Gracie Skogman, legislative
director of Wisconsin Right to Life, says Harris's rhetoric
ignores the crux of anti-abortion advocates
philosophy. to remind people that we're
talking about two lives in the equation, both deserving of
care. >> Skogman and her team are
activating voters across the state to understand that
abortion law is on the ballot. >> We have some groups that are
in the Appleton area, and we want people to be aware of
candidates who are running and what their record is.
>> Appleton is part of the eighth Congressional District,
where the abortion issue is a key topic in the race between
Democrat Kristin Lyerly and ob gyn, and abortion provider and
Republican Toni Wied. A businessman endorsed by former
President Trump. protection for abortion,
contraception, IVF. >> Meanwhile, the Republican
candidate has pointed out a states rights approach.
>> The Supreme Court made the decision that the right of
abortion is within the state's hands, where it was before. It
is now, and I believe that it should continue to stay as a
states right issue. >> Skogman says this focus on a
states rights approach ignores several legal levers at the
federal level. >> For example, right now, the
vast majority of abortions are actually chemical abortions, and
this is something that's federally regulated. So that
that has to be a federal conversation.
>> She's referring to a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June
to preserve access to chemical abortions. The case
threatened to federally restrict access to chemical abortions,
even in states where abortion is legal.
people understand, I think the sort of powers of the of the
various offices at the national level.
chief strategy officer at planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.
>> A president appoints judges who are interpreting laws and
hearing lawsuits. >> Planned Parenthood of
Wisconsin has been heading the legal battle over abortion at
the state level, filed a lawsuit in February that the Wisconsin
Supreme Court accepted. >> That case will argue that our
state constitution would not allow an abortion ban to stand
because our Constitution protects the right to bodily
autonomy and agency. released a schedule for the
case, but abortion remains top of mind for Wisconsin voters as
we approach the first presidential election since the
overturning of Roe v Wade. overturning of Roe v Wade.