Hundreds Rally At Capitol In Favor Of Reproductive Rights

Several hundred protesters gathered on the state Capitol steps on Tuesday afternoon to rally in support of reproductive rights ahead of a pending Wisconsin Supreme Court decision. 

Along with a group of state lawmakers, abortion rights advocates and health care providers speaking to the crowd was Dr. Kristin Lyerly, an OB/GYN and a plaintiff in the lawsuit before the Supreme Court that challenges a controversial state law pertaining to abortion that dates back to 1849. She urged the state’s highest court to strike down the law, which supporters say would protect abortion rights in Wisconsin.

Lyerly stressed the importance of the lawsuit pushing back against the state law, which went into effect after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide.

She also reminded the crowd about the impact of the upcoming spring election on the state Supreme Court. Brad Schimel, a conservative Waukesha County Circuit Court judge and former state attorney general, is running against Dane County Judge Susan Crawford for a 10-year seat on the court. The outcome of the election is expected to either reinforce the court’s current liberal majority or swing control back to the court’s conservative wing. 

Lyerly referred the crowd to comments Schimel made about the justices hearing the case last year. Schimel spoke with a conservative talk radio show in central Wisconsin in November 2024 about the four liberal-leaning justices.

“They are being driven by their emotions,” he said, referring to the justices hearing the arguments in the lawsuit regarding the 1849 law.

Lyerly also spoke out against the surge in campaign spending coming from billionaire Elon Musk, who has been supporting Schimel. 

“Elon Musk thinks he can buy our freedoms. He may be the richest man in the world, but you know what he can never buy? Us. He can never buy us,” Lyerly told the crowd.

Other speakers at the event included state Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein and state Rep. Lisa Subeck.

This event was sponsored by the Committee to Protect Health Care, Women’s March and SEIU Wisconsin.

Wisconsin’s spring election is April 1.