Twelve Republican governors across the United States have come together to call upon the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision that enables the Constitution to protect a woman's right to access abortion without government restriction. Republican leaders such as Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida signed on his state to overturn two major abortion cases in the U.S.: Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeast Pennsylvania v. Casey from 1992.
According to the Red State, while Roe v. Wade established a woman's right to abortion access, Casey reaffirmed abortion rights by empowering states to pass their own abortion laws. The U.S. Supreme Court right now has a 6 to 3 conservative minority, an advantage that prominent Republicans and other conservative leaders believe will give them leverage to finally overthrow Roe v. Wade.
If the landmark decision is overturned, individual states will have the power to create laws to ban abortion or regulate it "in a way not legal under current Supreme Court precedent."
Joining Gov. DeSantis are Governors Kay Ivey of Alabama, Doug Ducey of Arizona, and Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, who in May signed a law banning almost all abortions in the state and in April passed a law banning abortion provider Planned Parenthood from providing resources to public schools in the state.
Also on board are Governors Brian Kemp of Georgia, Brian Little of Idaho, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Mike Parson of Missouri, Greg Gianforte of Montana, and Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma. Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina and Greg Abbott of Texas, who according to the Texas Tribune in June had signed into law one of the country's strictest abortion measures that prohibits abortion as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. The measure is known as a heartbeat bill.
According to CNN, 228 Republican members of Congress came together to file a brief calling for the Supreme Court to finally overturn Roe v. Wade, ahead o the SC's decision to hear a Mississippi law that prevents abortion after 15 weeks of prenancy and does not allow exceptions for rape or incest.
Former Vice President and AAF Chairman Mike Pence called for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, saying, "By calling for Roe and Casey to be overturned, Advancing American Freedom and its partners seek to protect the right to life and to restore respect for the sanctity of life. Life is winning in America, and we must not rest until we restore a culture of life in America," LifeNews reported.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem also joined in on the battlecry, as per LifeNews. She said in a statement, "as a former state legislator, congresswoman and South Dakota's first female governor, I stand in defiance of the lies perpetrated by the Roe decision," citing that women have been taught that being pregnant and becoming a parent hinders their path to a "successful career." Gov. Noem wants to change that.
According to LifeNews, Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado also lent her voice to denounce the "The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, saying, "No taxpayer should ever be forced to pay for abortion. Abortion is not healthcare, it is murder. I will not stand by quietly. I say Planned Parenthood can go fund themselves."
