Mike Pence speaks in front of 1,250 in Spartanburg. Nearly 150 protest for abortion rights

Former vice president Mike Pence spoke in Spartanburg Thursday night as part of the Carolina Pregnancy Center's Spring Gala. The ticketed event is being held at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium.

Pence's appearance comes during the same week as a leaked draft suggested Roe v. Wade will be overturned by the Supreme Court. Pence is a staunch anti-abortionist.

"As long as Roe v. Wade remains enforced, the Radical Left in this Country will never stop pushing for more and more extreme abortion related policies," Pence Tweeted Tuesday.

Sen. Lindsey Graham also attended Thursday night's gala.

"It is a sad day for the Supreme Court and a dangerous day for the Rule of Law. The radical assault on our institutions and the Constitution itself has reached a new level with the release of a draft opinion on a major issue facing the Court," Graham Tweeted Tuesday.

Spartanburg resident, Barbara Dorsey, said she and her sister, Joan McPherson, plan to protest outside of Thursday night's event.

"I knew people back in the 60s who had to get illegal abortions before it was safe and legal," Dorsey said via a telephone interview. "I had no idea this would ever happen again.

"There could be five people there or there could be 150, but we'll have our signs to make a statement. This is outrageous and frightening."

Mike Pence concludes speech in Spartanburg

8 p.m. | Former Vice President Mike Pence wrapped up his speech at the Carolina Pregnancy Center's Spring Gala.

Pence urged the audience to re-elect Gov. Henry McMaster and Sen. Tim Scott in November.

Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium full

7:20 p.m. | The Carolina Pregnancy Center sold 1,250 tickets for tonight's Spring Gala at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. In addition to Pence and Sen. Lindsey Graham, a number of Republican elected officials and party leaders are in attendance.

“I’m a Christian, conservative and Republican in that order," Mike Pence said as he began his speech. "This has been a momentous week in the cause of life. I believe with all my heart that life is winning in America. To be pro-life you must be pro adoption.”

Protester: Overturning Row v. Wade would be 'tragedy'

7:18 p.m. | “Back in the 1980s, I was a rape crisis director. I referred individuals for abortions. They were safe. They were even free for awhile. And it is heartbreaking to me to see how far we came and then have to go back so far. We need this to do this for our daughters for our mothers, our grandmothers for everybody,” Rev. Jean Batson-Turner of Boiling Springs said.

Batson-Turner said the overturning of Roe v. Wade would be a tragedy.

“It will be a tragedy. Women’s groups will have to expend energy trying to fight back on that when they need to move forward.”

Wofford and University of South Carolina students join protest

7:08 p.m. | Wofford students Meg Santos, 21, and SJ Vaughan, 22, gathered a group of friends to come to the protest, which now stands at 133 people outside of Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium.

“We got a lot of support from the faculty at Wofford as well. Especially women faculties. In the English department, in gender studies departments in Spanish department,” Vaughan said. The group led a chant of "Not the church, not the state, women will decide their fate."

University of South Carolina students Mary Lavender, Aidan MacIntosh, and Jasmine Webber came to the protest while back in town from college.

“I feel like everyone should just protest because it's something so many women are counting on so many women are about to be affected by it. It's not just women, people will think uterus is you know, like, it's a big thing that's gonna affect everyone. Even if you don't have a uterus, it's gonna affect you,” said Lavender.

“This is not going to stop abortions, like if it gets overturned, it's not going to stop them; it's just going to stop safe abortions,” MacIntosh said.

“I’m here because I don’t believe anybody should have control of my body, but me,” Webber said.

Protester shares personal abortion story

6:36 p.m. | Over 100 protesters have gathered. One protester, who did not wish to be identified, shared the story of getting an abortion during her freshman year of college while in an abusive relationship. “I have no regrets. I wouldn't be where I'm at in life right now if I didn't get an abortion and the fact that we're going back to the 1960s is utterly appalling,” she said.

Pence: Leak of Roe v. Wade opinion undermines Supreme Court

6:12 p.m. | “The leak of a draft opinion is the Supreme Court of the United States really undermines the judiciary of the United States. I welcome Chief Justice Roberts’ assurance that it will not affect the outcome of the court and I’m confident that it won’t," Pence said.

“My focus is going to be on the moral imperative of overturning Roe V. Wade and giving the American people a fresh start on life.”

Protesters arrive at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

6 p.m. | Around two dozen abortion rights' protesters have arrived at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium.

“This is about freedom. And like most Americans, I believe in freedom, freedom to choose your own religion, the freedom for women to vote for what we fought for in the early 20th century. The freedom for women to own property, the freedom for us to own our own bodies and to choose the healthcare that is best for us. And to stay healthy. If abortion is illegal, a lot of women will die. So this is really about freedom and individual choice,” said Alice Sutton, a retired healthcare worker.

“I've been in women's health care all my life,” said Ruth Stanton. “This is going to be a big step backwards.”

Sutton also remembers the decisions women had to make when abortion was illegal. “My mother had three children and her my father beat her anytime he got mad. Wonderful man outside the house, come in, slam the door and there you are. So when she got pregnant again, with three children whom she loved, she would call up a friend and go horseback riding. She would miscarry, risking her life of course each time. That was that was abortion back then.”

Pence: Abortion issue should be decided by states

5:57 p.m. | Mike Pence to media: If Roe vs. Wade is overturned, abortion will be decided by the states, where he says the issue should be decided.

Former VP Mike Pence has arrived in Spartanburg

5:21 p.m. | Former VP Mike Pence has arrived at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium for Carolina Pregnancy Center's Spring Gala. Pence is touring Carolina Pregnancy Center's mobile unit.

Former VP Pence, Sen. Graham yet to arrive

5:10 p.m. | Neither Pence nor Graham have yet to arrive. Ticket holders are going into the auditorium for dinner.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Mike Pence visits Spartanburg SC after Roe v. Wade draft leaked