Latest news with #Women'sHealthProtectionAct
The Hill
23-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Maine Dems launch website targeting Collins over abortion ahead of Dobbs anniversary
The Maine Democratic Party has launched a website targeting Republican Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) for votes she they say have caused a significant rollback in abortion rights. The release of the website, shared exclusively with The Hill, comes ahead of the third anniversary of the Supreme Court's 2022 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned its longstanding precedent of Roe v. Wade. The ruling allowed states to make their own decisions on abortion access and has led to more than a dozen states moving to restrict access to the procedure. A video released along with the website blames Collins for her votes to confirm Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, who were part of the five-justice majority that overturned Roe. The video starts and ends with a recording of Collins announcing on the Senate floor that she would vote to confirm Kavanaugh. 'The overturning of Roe vs Wade falls squarely on Susan Collins' shoulders. Mainers recognize and remember how Collins' 'no regrets' decisive vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court — despite clear warnings of the threat he posed to Roe — led to bans on reproductive freedom nationwide, and it will cost her in 2026 when voters reject her,' said state Democratic Party spokesperson Tommy Garcia. Collins's vote on Kavanaugh in particular received significant attention as his nomination was ultimately approved in a 50-48 vote. In her message announcing her decision to vote for Kavanaugh, she expressed her belief that he wouldn't be likely to vote in favor of overturning Roe. After the court overturned Roe, Collins said the decision was 'inconsistent' with what Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said during their testimonies and in their meetings wither her. The website also notes Collins's vote against advancing the Women's Health Protection Act, which would have codified Roe into law, in 2022. The Maine Republican argued at the time that the legislation would have violated the rights of individuals and organizations who have religious objections to performing abortions and exceeded what Roe protected, striking down laws prohibiting sex-based abortions and requiring parental notification for minors seeking abortions. Collins instead pointed to the legislation she introduced, called the Reproductive Choice Act, which would restore the rights of Roe. The website also attacks Collins over votes she's taken in favor of federal judges who ultimately upheld abortion restrictions in certain states, including Stuart Kyle Duncan in Texas and Kenneth Lee from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Collins will be a top target for Democrats seeking to make gains in the Senate in 2026 after losing a few seats last year, falling to a 53-47 minority. The longtime senator, representing a state that voted for former Vice President Harris in 2024, has long been a target and was viewed as particularly vulnerable in 2020 but has repeatedly held on. She won her last election by more than 8 points. Still, this would be the first time Collins is seeking reelection following the court's overturning of Roe, giving Democrats hope that abortion rights can be a rallying point as it was in the 2022 midterms. A high-profile Democrat has yet to enter the race, but some in the state believe Gov. Janet Mills (D) may be the strongest choice if she decides to run.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Liberal Wisconsin judge launches state Supreme Court bid
Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor announced Tuesday that she's launching a campaign to challenge conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley on the state Supreme Court next year. 'Justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court must be fair, independent, and impartial. Justice Rebecca Bradley has proven that she's more interested in pushing her own right-wing political agenda than protecting Wisconsinites' rights and freedoms,' Taylor said in a statement. 'Extremism and partisanship have no place on our state's highest court,' she continued. 'Everyone who comes before the court deserves to be heard, respected, and treated equally – that's exactly what I'll do as a Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice.' Taylor has served on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals since 2023, and previously served as a judge in the Dane County Circuit Court. She served in the Wisconsin state Legislature from 2011-20 as a Democrat, and was a vocal supporter of abortion access, including testifying before the U.S. Senate about the Women's Health Protection Act. Taylor also spent time as a public policy director at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published Tuesday, the liberal judge did not make a commitment around recusing herself on cases pertaining to Planned Parenthood in the event she won the seat next year. 'I would not categorically say because I worked for Planned Parenthood 15 years ago that I can't hear a case on reproductive health care,' Taylor told the Wisconsin news outlet. 'That would be like a judge who worked for a law firm 15 years ago who would say, 'Well I can never take a case from that law firm.'' The announcement comes more than a month after liberal Justice Susan Crawford won an open seat on the state Supreme Court, keeping the 4-3 liberal majority of the high court intact. Next year's race will not flip the Wisconsin court but provides an opportunity for liberals to expand their majority to a 5-2 edge. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Liberal Wisconsin judge launches state Supreme Court bid
Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor announced on Tuesday that she's launching a campaign to challenge conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley on the state Supreme Court next year. 'Justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court must be fair, independent, and impartial. Justice Rebecca Bradley has proven that she's more interested in pushing her own right-wing political agenda than protecting Wisconsinites' rights and freedoms,' Taylor said in a statement. 'Extremism and partisanship have no place on our state's highest court,' she continued. 'Everyone who comes before the court deserves to be heard, respected, and treated equally – that's exactly what I'll do as a Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice.' Taylor has served on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals since 2023, and previously served as a judge in the Dane County Circuit Court. She served in the Wisconsin state legislature between 2011 and 2020 as a Democrat, and was a vocal supporter of abortion access, including testifying before the U.S. Senate over the Women's Health Protection Act. Taylor also spent time as a public policy director at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published on Tuesday, the liberal judge did not make a commitment around recusing herself on cases pertaining to Planned Parenthood in the event she won the seat next year. 'I would not categorically say because I worked for Planned Parenthood 15 years ago that I can't hear a case on reproductive health care,' Taylor told the Wisconsin news outlet. 'That would be like a judge who worked for a law firm 15 years ago who would say, 'Well I can never take a case from that law firm.'' The announcement comes more than a month after liberal Justice Susan Crawford won an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, keeping the 4-3 liberal majority of the high court intact. Next year's race will not determine control of the Wisconsin court, but it could provide an opportunity for liberals to expand the court further to a 5-2 majority.
