OP-ED: As Wisconsinites Honor Women’s History Month 2025, Brad Schimel is Stuck in 1849

It’s quite a contrast that as we celebrate Women’s History Month in the year 2025, we have a circuit court judge and candidate for our state’s highest court who supports banning abortion using a law that was written before women had the right to vote.

Brad Schimel, who has run for office as a Republican six times in the past and now is seeking a seat on the nonpartisan Wisconsin Supreme Court, publicly endorsed the legal position that a law from 1849 should be used to ban abortion in Wisconsin with no exceptions for sexual assault or health of the mother.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is currently considering a case regarding the enforceability of the law to ban abortion.

In November, when the court heard oral arguments in the case and justices raised legal and ethical questions about the law, Schimel dismissed the majority justices – all women – as “driven by emotions” and “on the brink of losing it.”

It’s clear that if given the chance, Schimel could rule to uphold the 1849 law as a criminal abortion ban, which has already caused devastating harm to Wisconsin women.

Not only has he praised using the 1849 law as an abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest, Schimel has also delayed justice for victims of sexual assault. 

As Attorney General, Schimel allowed thousands of backlogged sexual assault kits to go untested, testing only nine kits in two years. 

This Women’s History Month and beyond, call Brad Schimel at 262-548-7548 and remind him Wisconsin women deserve elected leaders who will protect our rights and freedoms, not strip them away.