Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said he believes in “finding consensus” on abortion and advocated for better access to contraceptives at an ice cream social event hosted by College Republicans of University of Wisconsin-Madison Wednesday.
Vos said he believes “life begins at conception,” but claimed Republican lawmakers are open to “trying to find consensus” with Democrats on the issue in the next Legislative session. He also said Republicans “did a bad job” explaining to voters why they feel abortion is wrong.
In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and removed constitutional protections for abortion. The decision caused an 1849 Wisconsin law to go back into effect, banning nearly all abortions in the state with no exception for rape or incest.
In April 2023, liberal-leaning Justice Janet Protasiewiecz won a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court while abortion remained a hotbed issue, tipping the court to a 4-3 liberal majority. Democrats have been championing abortion rights heavily throughout Wisconsin, criticizing Republicans for supporting abortion restrictions.
“Now we have this huge backlash, with a lot of people feeling like it was a right that was taken away,” Vos said.
Vos told students his goal is to implement legislation that will increase access to contraception as an alternative to abortion, saying it “will make abortion less necessary.”
In June 2023, the Assembly passed a bipartisan bill that would allow pharmacists to prescribe over-the-counter birth control without the need of approval from a doctor or primary care provider, but the Senate killed the bill earlier this year.
Vos hopes to remain Assembly Speaker despite new election maps
In addition to sharing his stance on abortion rights and contraceptive access in Wisconsin, Vos outlined what it would take for him to maintain his speakership following the election.
Vos said a 55-44 Republican majority in the Assembly is key for him to remain Assembly Speaker after election day. He said if Republicans “come back” with a lesser majority after the election, certain members of the caucus who do not favor him might not allow him to remain in his position.
“There’ll be a couple [Republicans] who will say ‘Robin Vos is just like Tony Evers, and we can’t have them because they’re two peas in a pod,’” Vos said.
Earlier this year, Gov. Tony Evers signed new state election maps into law following a years-long battle with state Republicans to create fair election maps and fix gerrymandered districts in Wisconsin. Democrats are hoping the new maps will end the GOP supermajority in the Legislature, with Republicans currently holding a 64-35 majority in the Assembly and a 22-11 majority in the Senate.
Vos is hopeful Republicans can retain a majority in the Assembly despite new districts drawn in favor of Democrats, saying “it’s going to be challenging” but “not impossible.”
February election data from Marquette Law School indicates Republicans will likely hold a double-digit percentage majority in 46 Assembly districts and a single-digit percentage majority in seven districts. Democrats will have four districts with single-digit percentage majorities and 42 districts with double-digit percentage majorities.
Iain Chang is a senior staff writer at The Daily Cardinal covering state news and politics.
