Reaction to Roe v. Wade ruling mostly partisan

Jun. 25—LIMA — Battle lines are being drawn on a number of political and cultural fronts following the announcement Friday from the U.S. Supreme Court that Roe v. Wade, which for nearly 50 years has guaranteed women's' right to an abortion, has been overturned.

Abortion rights will now be determined by states, unless Congress acts, the court said.

Reactions to the ruling, which has been anticipated for several weeks, were largely along party lines as Republicans cheered the announcement while Democrats and women's' health advocates vowed to fight back.

In the short term, however, the ruling appears to bring an end to abortions in Ohio. Attorney General Dave Yost filed a motion Friday morning asking a federal judge to allow a 2019 law to take effect banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected (about six weeks). It's not clear how long that will take, but the judge must follow the U.S. Supreme Court's directions.

The ACLU, ACLU of Ohio and Planned Parenthood Federation of America said in a statement Friday that they plan to fight back by suing in state court to ensure that Ohioans are able to exercise their rights protected by the Ohio Constitution. The reproductive rights organizations intend to file a lawsuit on behalf of Ohio's abortion providers to protect the continuity of abortion care in our state under the Ohio Constitution.

The battle over women's reproductive rights is far from over. In the immediate aftermath of the high court's announcement, however, Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, called the ruling "a long overdue turning point in our nation's history."

"Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of life and liberty," Huffman said in a statement. "Our members have consistently defended the lives of babies yet to be born. We will continue to do so as we evaluate what additional resources pregnancy centers and young families may need."

Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp, R-Lima, called the ruling "welcome news for all who believe in the sanctity of innocent human life, as I do. The process of reviewing the decision is underway, including what steps should be taken at the state level and the timeline for doing so."

Conservative Ohio State Rep. Susan Manchester, R-Waynesfield, called the court's anticipated decision "an historic moment for the Pro-Life movement."

In a two-word response posted on Twitter, Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, R-4th, said simply, "Life wins". Fellow Ohio Congressman Bob Latta, R-5th, said the court's decision "overturns the wrongly-decided Roe v. Wade case, which has led to the loss of tens of millions of lives. This decision rightly returns the power to protect the unborn to the states and to the voice of the people. It's a momentous day for innocent life and one that should be celebrated."

J.D. Vance, the Republican candidate for an open Ohio Senate seat, said Friday's ruling ushers in a "new phase of the pro-life movement. We will continue the fight to ensure that every young mother has the resources they need to bring new life into the world. We will build an economy where it's possible to sustain and support our children. We will expand adoption and promote pregnancy centers, so that every child has the loving home they deserve. Some of our efforts will be federal, and others local, but all will be focused on the simple principle that life is worth protecting — from the moment it begins until its natural end."

Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of the Diocese of Toledo called the end of Roe v. Wade a "historic moment (that) moves us a step closer to establishing a culture of life where every life is valued, where the dignity of every person born and pre-born is respected, and where each human person is treasured as created in the image and likeness of God."

Brown: Ruling means fewer freedoms for women

Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, was predictably upset by the court's announcement.

"For 50 years, women in America had the right to make their own personal health care decisions. Today, five judges handed that right over to politicians," Brown said in a prepared statement. "This will be the first generation of women to grow up with fewer rights and freedoms than their mothers and grandmothers, and this burden will be disproportionately carried by low-income women and women of color."

Brown said Congress "must take action restoring protections for women to make their own health choices, and women will make their voices heard in voting booths around Ohio and the country this November."

Tim Ryan, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat in Ohio currently held by Rob Portman, called the court's ruling "disastrous."

"By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court is gutting a long-established right in order to put politicians between women and their doctors," Ryan said. "Even worse, this ruling gives the green light to those here in Ohio who have introduced legislation that would deny women access to potentially lifesaving care, and threaten to put women and doctors in jail."

Elizabeth Walters, Ohio Democratic Party chair, said the high court's ruling has placed added emphasis on upcoming elections in the Buckeye State for governor, an open senate seat and seats in the Ohio legislature.

"Ohioans' fundamental right to reproductive care, including abortion and birth control, is on the line in this year's election. This disastrous decision lays squarely at the feet of Ohio Republicans — from J.D. Vance to Mike DeWine to extremists in the statehouse — who have spent years working to strip women of their basic rights and enacting new, cruel restrictions that would punish survivors of rape and incest," Walters said.

"It is critical that Ohioans elect Tim Ryan, Nan Whaley and pro-choice Democratic candidates up and down the ballot in November who will protect the right to abortion. We will continue to fight so that women can make these personal decisions with their doctors and without unwanted and unnecessary interference from politicians. This November, Ohioans will take their outrage to the polls and defeat the extremist Republicans who gutted our freedom to choose."

Freda Levenson, legal director for the ACLU of Ohio, said, "The most important thing to remember is that as of today, abortion is still legal in Ohio. We are determined and prepared to fight to keep it that way. Given the horrible consequences that will be unleashed by the Supreme Court's decision, the path to regaining our rights will be hard-fought, but the ACLU will be there every step of the way. We won't stop until all Ohioans are again secure in the power to make the best decisions for ourselves and our families."