With the Supreme Court poised to overturn Roe v. Wade and undo almost a half-century of legal precedent, the U.S. Senate failed once again to advance the Women’s Health Protection Act. Maine’s Senator Susan Collins, a supposedly "pro-choice" Republican, joining her colleagues to filibuster the legislation, clearing the path for states around the country to achieve a longtime GOP goal: criminalizing abortion.
"The result of today’s vote in the Senate was disappointing, but one thing is clear. Senator Susan Collins can no longer claim to be a defender of abortion rights—rather, she has cemented her legacy as one of the key architects who set the stage to dismantle Roe. Her shameful vote today against the Women’s Health Protection Act, as well as her support for President Trump’s openly anti-abortion Supreme Court nominees, has put the reproductive freedom of millions of American women at risk," said Maine Democratic Party Chair Drew Gattine. "We are lucky in Maine to have leaders like Governor Mills and Democrats in the legislature who have vowed to defend existing access to safe, legal abortions. However, if Collins’ endorsed candidate, Paul LePage is elected, abortion in Maine will be in jeopardy, just as it is right now in Republican-controlled states across the country. We must defend our rights at the ballot box this November."
Under Governor Mills, Maine Democrats have expanded health care access, passed laws to allow more qualified practitioners to perform abortions, and required that MaineCare cover the procedure. In response to the leaked Supreme Court opinion last week, Governor Mills declared, "I do not consider the rights of women to be dispensable" and vowed to defend Mainers’ abortion rights.
On the other hand, Maine Republicans, including gubernatorial candidate Paul LePage, have recently signaled support for reversing longstanding abortion laws in Maine. The Maine GOP’s 2022 platform also includes references to cutting reproductive services, and activists within the party have insisted that overturning Roe v. Wade is "not the end... the beginning."
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