Vice President Kamala Harris has planned her visit to a Minnesota clinic that provides abortions and a spectrum of reproductive health services on Thursday.
This visit marks the first time a sitting president or vice president has toured such a facility, according to Harris’ office.
The trip to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area is part of Harris' nationwide tour initiated in January to highlight the repercussions following the US Supreme Court's conservative majority decision in 2022 to overturn Roe v. Wade.
This landmark ruling legalized abortion nationwide but its overturning empowered Republican-led states to enforce limitations or outright bans on the procedure.
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Harris, the first woman elected vice president, has been a vocal critic of the court's decision, asserting that the government should not dictate what a woman can do with her body.
President Joe Biden has vowed to be the president who restores the protections of Roe, he tends to talk about the “right to choose” instead of saying “abortion.”
Abortion rights have emerged as a crucial issue influencing voters and boosting Democratic support since the Supreme Court's ruling nearly two years ago. With the presidential race and congressional contests looming, the issue could prove pivotal in shaping the political landscape this year.
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In Minnesota, Harris plans to visit a health centre offering various services including abortion, birth control, and preventive wellness care. The facility's identity remains undisclosed for security reasons. During her visit, she intends to engage with staff, receive briefings on the impact of abortion bans in neighbouring states, and discuss the Biden administration's efforts to safeguard reproductive rights.
The vice president was also scheduled to address a Biden-Harris campaign event tailored to women. Notably, Minnesota lacks restrictions on abortion at any stage of pregnancy and voted in favour of Biden by a significant margin in 2020.
Harris' visit coincides with a broader political narrative surrounding abortion rights, with Democrats highlighting Trump's role in reshaping the Supreme Court and the subsequent erosion of Roe v. Wade.
Recent Democratic electoral victories in 2022 and 2023, where abortion access was a key issue, have further emboldened the party's stance.
In Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz signed legislation in January 2023 to enshrine abortion rights and reproductive health care into state law, safeguarding existing protections irrespective of future judicial changes. The move came amidst a legislative push driven by the backlash against the Supreme Court's decision.
As abortion remains illegal in over a dozen states, including neighbouring North Dakota and South Dakota, and faces restrictions in Iowa and Wisconsin, Minnesota has witnessed an influx of patients seeking abortions due to stricter regulations elsewhere.
