ST. PAUL, Minn. – Governor Tim Walz pledged to resist any new attempts to shut off access to abortion services in the state. His pledge followed a draft opinion from U.S. Supreme Court decision that would overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Walz said the Supreme Court opinion, if it indeed is delivered, would embolden Republicans to try to impose more restrictions on abortion. “Let me make this clear,” he said at a long-scheduled address to business leaders: “Not on my watch.” Walz, a Democrat, noted polls that show a strong majority of Minnesotans support access to abortion and that the decision should be made by women themselves.
Verbatim
Walz: “There’s no if, ands or buts about it. By whatever means necessary the Republicans have made it clear that they will restrict the right of women to make reproductive choices in all circumstances. That is unconscionable. This was the stuff of dystopian movies — and it’s now on our doorstep.”
Abortion as a Minnesota issue
The Minnesota Supreme Court has found that the state Constitution protects a right to abortion. This was in a 1995 case, Doe v. Gomez. The case has been characterized as the Minnesota version of the federal Roe v. Wade case that has allowed abortion access for almost 50 years. Is Doe v. Gomez settled law? Yes and no. It could be overturned by the state Supreme Court. It possibly could also be pre-empted through the U.S. Supreme Court decision would leave it to states to deal with abortion.. Also, a state constitutional amendment could change Minnesota law. A state constitutional amendment requires a majority of the House and Senate. and then ratification by voters in a statewide election.
Minnesota’s political landscape
Nationally and in Minnesota, the pending U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has polarized party politics further into Democratic and Republican camps. With rare exception, the public posture of Republicans is to protect the unborn and ban abortions. Democrats favor individual decision-making by pregnant women as a matter of personal conscience rather than government policy. All five Minnesota statewide elected offices are held by Democrats, all of them up for election in November. Their GOP challengers favor banning abortions, at least to the extent that abortion has been an issue thus far in primary campaigns. Also, all 201 stste legislative seats are on the 2022 ballot. The Senate is barely Republican with a 34-33 majority. The House has only a slim 70-63 Democratic majority, not counting one independent and one non-caucusing member. Will abortion be a litmus test issue for voters in November? Polls are expected soon on the question.