‘This is Ron Johnson’s America’: GOP senator challenged on his hardline abortion stance in Wisconsin debate

Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes calls Republican incumbent’s position ‘dangerous’ and ‘out of touch’

Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin’s Democratic challenger criticised him for his position on abortion during their debate on Friday night.

The Republican Senator is running for a third term and said during his debate with Democratic Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes that he supported a referendum on abortion after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v Jackson decision overturned Roe v Wade and therefore revived a ban on abortion from 1849 in the state.

“The question that has to be answered is when society has a responsibility to protect life,” he said. “It’s just that simple.”

But Mr Barnes pushed back and said that Wisconsin would not hold such a referendum because of the fact Republicans control the state legislature.

“This is him running from his dangerous, out-of-touch and extreme position,” Mr Barnes said. “And when you take a position like that, there’s so much that you don’t always see.”

Mr Barnes mentioned how a woman in Texas had to be hooked up to a breathing machine because of pregnancy complications while a 10-year-old girl in Ohio had to cross state lines after she was raped to get an abortion.

“That’s Ron Johnson’s America,” he said.

Mr Barnes noted how his mother had an abortion after she had a complicated pregnancy.

“She shared her story because she wanted others to know that they aren’t alone, that it was her decision to make, not some politicians” he said.

Mr Johnson said that abortion shouldn’t be decided by the Supreme Court, Congress or the Wisconsin state legislature and accused Mr Barnes of being out of touch with the public sentiment.

“The most extreme position here would be no limits on abortion whatsoever, allowing abortion right from the moment of birth, which is what the lieutenant governor supports,” he said.

Mr Johnson added that he “obviously” supported birth control and in vitro fertilization, saying his daughter had two children through gestational surrogacy.

“I would never, ever consider charing a woman who had an unplanned pregnancy,” he said.