EDITORIAL: Abortion a key issue in Illinois race for governor

Aug. 18—Abortion will be a key issue in the November election for governor of Illinois, which pits incumbent J.B. Pritzker against State Sen. Darren Bailey.

They are as divided as can be on the issue of abortion — like much of the country, as described in CNHI special reports that the Effingham Daily News is publishing on Friday and Saturday.

For those who support a woman's right to seek an abortion and those who do not, this is a crucial election in Illinois. If the issue is important to you — whichever side you are on — we urge that you make your voice heard in the voting booth.

Pritzker, a Democrat, wants to guarantee and expand access to abortion in Illinois in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that legalized abortion nationwide.

Bailey, a Republican from Xenia, opposes abortion in all cases except to save the life of the mother.

Our neighbors will be watching this election, too. Illinois is surrounded by states that are closing access to abortion. That means abortion clinics in Illinois are seeing increased travel from out of state by those seeking the procedure, numbers that will surely multiply as those adjacent states tighten their laws and if Illinois continues on its current path.

"I believe that abortion is one of the greatest atrocities of our day and I believe it's one of the greatest atrocities probably forever," Bailey said during his campaign for the state senate. "I will not compromise on matters of life."

That was in response to the state's move to allow public funding of abortion services for people enrolled in the Medicaid program. When then-Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, signed that into law, many Republicans abandoned their support for him, possibly opening the door for Pritzker's election in 2018.

Pritzker signed the Reproductive Health Act in 2019. Among other things, it declares access to abortion services a "fundamental right" in Illinois.

In December 2021, Pritzker signed a law making it legal to perform an abortion on a minor without notifying her parents.

"With reproductive rights under attack across the nation, Illinois is once again establishing itself as a leader in ensuring access to health care services," Pritzker said at the time.

Capitol News Illinois reported that Pritzker and top Democratic leaders in the General Assembly still plan to call a special session to strengthen abortion rights even further. It's not clear when that will happen.

Pritzker first announced his plan for a special session on June 24, the same day the U.S. Supreme Court released its Roe decision.

"As the ripples of the decision to overturn Roe are felt throughout the nation, we expect to get an acute sense of our needs and how Illinois can play an even more vital role in standing up for reproductive freedom," Pritzker and the Democratic leaders who control the legislature said in a joint statement.

If you support those efforts, your choice for governor is clear: Pritzker.

If you don't, that choice is equally clear: Bailey.