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Gov. DeWine says US Supreme Court ruling won't settle abortion issue in Ohio

By Karen Kasler

Published December 17, 2021 at 4:03 AM EST

In this file photo, abortion supporters gather outside the Ohio Statehouse in 2019. [Sam Aberle / Ohio Public Radio file photo] — abortion supporters gather outside the Ohio Statehouse in 2019

In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court could return abortion to the states to regulate, which means some will likely outlaw it. But Gov. Mike DeWine, one of the most strident opponents of abortion to serve in that office, isn’t saying he’s totally on board with that.

In year-end interviews with the Statehouse News Bureau for "The State of Ohio", Speaker Bob Cupp (R-Lima) said there’s strong support in the House for more abortion restrictions, and Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said, “Banning abortion is a great idea.”

While anti-abortion advocates are celebrating the possibility, DeWine is more cautious, saying what Ohio does might not matter if abortion is still accessible in other states.

“It's not going to resolve this issue. This issue is going to continue on no matter what the Supreme Court does and those of us who feel we are pro-life and we care about the child, we have to show equally that we care about that mother," DeWine said.

Those who oppose abortion have to reach out to pregnant women early on, the governor said, adding that in his view, being pro-life is also about taking actions to protect Ohioans during the pandemic.

But supporters of abortion rights are concerned about future legislation on the state level if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo), who chairs the Ohio Democratic Women’s Legislative Caucus, said in a statement after the Supreme Court arguments: “Despite support for reproductive choice across the country, Republicans in Mississippi and Ohio are pushing extreme legislation that will revert our great country back to a past where women died in alleys because they lacked access to safe medical abortions. These dangerous bills are the direct result of extreme hyper-partisan gerrymandering and elected state lawmakers who care more about politics than the needs of everyday people. We should be focusing on expanding access to critical healthcare, rather than criminalizing it.”