Democrats are aiming to flip a GOP stronghold district in Wisconsin in the upcoming November elections, targeting Republican incumbent Rep. Bryan Steil. Steil’s Democratic challenger, Paul Barca, who is currently the state’s Secretary of Revenue, faces an uphill battle in a district that has traditionally voted Republican and is rated as Likely Republican by the Cook Political Report.
Paul Barca’s campaign appears to be resorting to negative tactics in an attempt to beat Rep. Steil, with a new campaign ad attacking Steil’s record on abortion and in-vitro fertilization. In the ad, Barca accuses Steil of working to overturn Roe v. Wade, a Supreme Court ruling on the Dobbs decision, and supporting “pregnancy surveillance” and restrictions on IVF. Steil’s campaign denies these claims, stating that the ad is untrue, and Steil himself has expressed support for lowering the cost of IVF for families and for families utilizing IVF as a way to have children.
In response to questions about his positions on abortion, Rep. Steil explains that current law in Wisconsin restricts abortion to the first 20 weeks, following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs which shifted the issue primarily to the states. Barca, on the other hand, has not defined his positions on abortion for voters, making it unclear whether he supports abortions being available through all nine months of pregnancy. Steil asserts that Barca aligns with extreme Democratic positions on abortion, while he himself supports reasonable exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother.
Barca’s campaign website suggests that he believes a woman’s healthcare decisions should be between herself and her doctor, not politicians. However, he does not specifically outline his positions on abortion for voters. A majority of Wisconsin voters do not support legalizing abortion in all cases, according to a June Marquette University Law Poll. Abortion ranked as the third most important issue for voters in the poll, following the economy and immigration, but Barca’s stance on the topic remains unclear.
In 2022, when Roe v. Wade was overturned, Rep. Steil tweeted in support of the decision, stating that it would bring the issue back to the states and calling it a victory for life. Barca, on the other hand, has a history of supporting pro-choice policies, receiving a lifetime grade of 100% from NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin in 2012 for his support of state funding for Planned Parenthood and opposition to restrictions on abortion. Planned Parenthood has endorsed Barca in his race for Congress this November, highlighting a clear divide between the candidates on the issue of abortion.
Overall, the race between Rep. Bryan Steil and his Democratic challenger Paul Barca in Wisconsin’s GOP stronghold district is heating up as the November elections approach. Barca’s campaign is using negative ads to attack Steil’s record on abortion and IVF, while Steil maintains his support for reasonable exceptions on abortion. Barca’s stance on abortion remains vague, despite receiving endorsements from pro-choice organizations like Planned Parenthood. The candidates’ differing positions on abortion are likely to be a key issue for voters in the district.
