Former VP Mike Pence's Spartanburg visit comes on heels of Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade leak

Former Vice President Mike Pence's scheduled trip to Spartanburg to speak at the Carolina Pregnancy Center's Spring Gala took on new context late Monday night.

The news outlet Politico reported that a copy of a Supreme Court draft ruling was released in a case challenging Mississippi's ban on abortion after 15 weeks.

Live updates: Former VP Mike Pence to visit Spartanburg after Roe v. Wade draft leaked

The draft opinion indicated the Supreme Court court would overturn the 1973 ruling on Roe v. Wade, stating that there is no constitutional right to abortion and that states would be left to regulate abortion. The court is expected to rule on the case before its term ends in late June or early July, according to the Associated Press.

More: South Carolina leaders react to possible overturn of Roe v. Wade after draft opinion leak

USA Today: Supreme Court verifies authenticity of leaked opinion in abortion case but says decision not final

An estimated 1,250 people are expected to attend the Carolina Pregnancy Center's event at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium on Thursday night. The event was scheduled prior to Politico's release Monday night of the leaked draft Supreme Court opinion.

"We actually planned this in the fall," said Alexia Newman, executive director of Carolina Pregnancy Center. "With everything going on, we're thrilled. (Pence) is one of the foremost advocates for life. To hear what he is going to say to us, especially with the decision of Roe coming down one way or another, to hear his thoughts is real thrilling."

The pregnancy center has six full-time and several part-time employees, including a nurse and ministry, Newman said. It has a new mobile unit and offers services such as early childhood parenting classes to help young women who decide to have birth.

Newman said she is "cautiously optimistic" that the Supreme Court might overturn Roe v. Wade.

"We're going to keep doing what we do, offering our services to women and families free of charge," she said.

Mixed reactions

The 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling legalized abortion nationwide. Since then, and especially in the last several years, states have chipped away at the ruling in attempts to ban abortions altogether.

Reaction to the leaked opinion was mixed, with anti-abortion groups praising the leaked opinion and anti-abortion groups criticizing it.

"It's a sad day for the Supreme Court and a dangerous day for the rule of law," tweeted Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee. "Government-mandated pregnancy will fall on the poorest and least protected women and girls in the nation."

Responding to the leak, Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday said he ordered an investigation into what he called an "egregious breach of trust."

"Whoever it is (the leaker), is not a good person," said Curtis Smith, chairman of the Spartanburg County Republican Party. "They should be disbarred."

Smith said the fallout from the leak will be needlessly painful for "both sides" of the abortion issue.

"You're going to see mobs in the street yelling and screaming on both sides," he said. "It's stirring up emotions for no reason. Just wait for the opinion."

'Writing on the wall'

Kathryn Harvey, chairwoman of the Spartanburg County Democratic Party, said the draft opinion represents "the writing on the wall" for abortion-rights supporters.

"It's an assault on women," Harvey said. "I don't know how to be more poignant than that. The magnitude of the decision, the repercussions, will be felt for a lifetime.

"I think we've seen the trajectory of the positive impact (Roe v. Wade) has allowed for generations of women. Those are measurable – economic mobility, healthcare, education and the ability to make the right decisions about your own body. The ripple effect impacts all facets of a woman's life."

Republican state Sen. Josh Kimbrell of Spartanburg said he is encouraged by the signals sent by the draft opinion.

"Roe v. Wade was a massive overreach by the court," Kimbrell told the Herald-Journal. "This should be decided by the people and their elected representatives. Having the courts return it to the states is appropriate."

He said South Carolina's legislature stands ready to ban abortion.

"We're going to affirm the right to life and human dignity and be one of the most pro-life states in the country," Kimbrell said.

SC Rep. Steven Long (R-Boiling Springs) said Pence has been a longtime anti-abortion advocate, who has participated in the March for Life in Washington.

"Certainly to have someone on a national stage to fight the fight, it's really neat he's coming to Spartanburg this week. I plan to be there," Long told the Herald-Journal Tuesday.

Long added that he's long supported the Carolina Pregnancy Center.

"They've got a lot of great programs to help mothers along," Long said. "Whenever we're talking about outlawing abortion, we've got to have a discussion about supporting these mothers."

Live updates: 'Whole range of rights could now be at risk' if Roe v. Wade is overturned, Biden says

Last year, Gov. Henry McMaster signed the fetal heartbeat law that would ban most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Planned Parenthood sued, and in February a federal appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that temporarily blocks enforcement of South Carolina's law.

'Stakes could not be higher'

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham, a former congressman, tweeted on Tuesday that overturning Roe v. Wade would "upend half a century of precedent that has saved countless lives.

"The stakes could not be higher," he tweeted. "Lives are at risk. To every South Carolinian who believes that women should make their own decisions about what happens to their body: we need you to vote."

Democratic state Rep. Rosalyn Henderson Myers of Spartanburg, who voted against the fetal heartbeat bill last year, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Earlier this year, Long and SC Rep. Josiah Magnuson (R-Campobello) sponsored a bill that would criminalize abortion. House Bill 4830 has not moved from the judiciary committee, and its partner bill, S 988, is in the Senate medical affairs committee.

With time running out in this legislative session, Long said he doesn't expect either bill to come to a floor vote in the legislature.

The bills would prohibit physicians from performing abortions unless the pregnant woman's life is in danger. If convicted, violators would be guilty of a felony and be imprisoned up to 30 years.

Magnuson said the legislature should act quickly to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

"We must prepare for the political fight of our lives," he told the Herald-Journal Tuesday. "If and when this ruling becomes final, there will then be no excuse left for why we can't abolish abortion in South Carolina. The truth will be exposed as to who is pro-life, and who has just been using the issue as a political hot potato this whole time."

Contact Bob Montgomery at bob.montgomery@shj.com. Please support our coverage of Spartanburg County with a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Pence Spartanburg visit on heels of leaked Roe v. Wade leaked opinion