Ever since the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the dismantling of our constitutional right to an abortion, we have seen Democrats work to restore our reproductive freedoms. On the other side of the aisle, Republicans have pushed to erect more barriers to abortion access.

Pivotal to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision is that it left up to the states whether or not an individual has the right to an abortion.

Unfortunately, for Wisconsinites, this means an archaic and inhumane law from 1849 that criminalizes abortion is now in effect. The law does not allow for exceptions in cases of incest or rape and only allows for exceptions to save the life of the mother.

We all deserve the freedom to choose if and when we want to start a family, and no judge, no politician and no elected or partisan-appointed official should be able to take away this fundamental right. Losing our constitutional right to an abortion harms working and middle-class families across Wisconsin, especially as it relates to resources in family planning and access to affordable health care services.

With the power left to the states to decide whether or not a woman has a right to an abortion, and with a 173-year-old criminal abortion ban now in place, abortion access in Wisconsin is on the ballot this November. The candidates running for governor — Democrat Tony Evers and Republican Tim Michels — could not be more different on this issue.

Evers, the current Democratic governor, is Wisconsin’s best advocate for restoring our constitutional right to an abortion and expanding our reproductive health freedoms.

In anticipation of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Evers called for a special session of the state Legislature to overturn the state’s abortion ban. As expected, Republicans in control of the Legislature took no action, and both chambers gaveled in and out in seconds.

After Roe v. Wade was overturned, Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit to challenge the state’s 1849 criminal abortion ban, deeming it unenforceable because of actions state lawmakers have taken since.

Evers was a champion for abortion rights before the Supreme Court overturned Roe. Throughout his term as governor, he has vetoed a total of nine bills passed by the Republican legislature — four in 2019 and five in 2021 — that sought to limit our constitutional right to an abortion.

Republican attacks on our reproductive freedoms are part of a broader effort by Republicans and the conservative majority on the Supreme Court to dismantle the right to make one’s own decisions about health care and limit the rights of women across our country.

Unfortunately, the same attacks have been consistent from Republican nominee Michels, as demonstrated in his divisive and radical views and messages.

Michels has stated that Wisconsin’s archaic 1849 abortion ban, which does not include any exceptions for rape or incest, is an “exact mirror” of his position on abortion. He also has gone so far to say that he would ban emergency contraception, such as Plan B, or the morning after pill.

Michels is also endorsed by Wisconsin Right to Life, an 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.

It is clear Michels and Republicans are radical and out of touch with the majority of people in Wisconsin. Decades of polling conducted by Marquette Law School demonstrate that a majority of Wisconsinites believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

We deserve a governor who will fight for the needs of working people and families across the state, and that is why For Our Future Wisconsin is proud to support Tony Evers in this year’s gubernatorial race. Evers is our only hope in restoring and protecting our reproductive rights and our access to a safe and legal abortion, and his veto record proves it.

Peter Drummond is the state director of For Our Future-Wisconsin.

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