A draft opinion that suggests the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision is reverberating in political battleground Michigan. The state has a pre-Roe abortion ban that may take effect and is unlikely to be changed by the Republican-led Legislature. There is increased attention in Michigan on the state courts, where Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Planned Parenthood have filed lawsuits seeking to invalidate the 1931 law.
“We have an opportunity in Michigan,” says Whitmer. “We’ve seen other states take it and it is time for us to make sure that we secure this right for Michigan women as well.”
The development also is putting a focus on the November election, when the governor and legislators are up for reelection and voters may decide whether to enshrine abortion rights in the Michigan Constitution.
