How to regulate abortion in the state after the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade will become a major point of debate ahead of key elections this fall.
"Women across Wisconsin are now less free than they were two days ago," said State Attorney General Josh Kaul on Saturday night at the Wisconsin Democratic Convention in LaCrosse.
Kaul has vowed not to prosecute anyone under the state's 1849 abortion law.
"The law is backwards and was understood to be unconstitutional for almost 50 years," he said. "And we use our limited resources to investigate and prosecute some the most serious crimes in Wisconsin."
Crimes, he said, such as homicide and murder.
During the opening of the convention, Governor Tony Evers was blunt.
"I have seven grand kids that are girls or young women. Yesterday they were made second class citizens. That's bull****," said Evers.
Evers, who's running for re-election unopposed as the Democratic incumbent, said he'll offer doctors clemency if they're prosecuted under the 19th century abortion law.
In Milwaukee on Saturday, prominent Republicans appeared downtown at Truth and Courage PAC's conservative summit.
"Isn't it a blessing that we celebrate the scourge of abortion ending in our country," said Rebecca Kleefisch, one of four candidates vying to win the Republican primary in the governor's race.
"I ask us to all be together right now. To wrap our arms around the unborn. But also their moms, who in many cases are in crisis," she said.
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, who's running for a third term, also took the stage. He didn't mention Roe on Saturday, though he remarked the day before, saying: "Today is a victory for life and for those who have fought for decades to protect the unborn."
He attacked democrats on the economy at the summit, saying "we don't have enough baby formula to feed our infants here in America in 2022."
