Sarah Godlewski launches abortion rights PAC as November elections loom
Sarah Godlewski might not be running in Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate race anymore, but she isn’t finished trying to defeat incumbent Republican Sen. Ron Johnson.
The state treasurer is converting her U.S. Senate campaign committee into a hybrid political action committee, known as Women Win Wisconsin, and will spend against Johnson, along with fundraising and spending on behalf of six women running for state legislative seats throughout Wisconsin.
“Do you want politicians making your health care decisions? Or do you want to be able to make your health care decisions?”
The PAC will seek “to build on the power of pro-choice women at the state and federal levels” and get candidates who support abortion access elected, according to a copy of the organization’s prospectus shared with the Cap Times.
In an interview, Godlewski said her time on the campaign trail inspired her to launch the PAC, adding that she believes “there is this opportunity with women and talking about choice and health care decisions” to help candidates win in close races.
The treasurer said the PAC’s work will be broken into two efforts. The first, known as “Women Against Ron,” is meant to highlight the senator’s “anti-woman agenda,” Godlewski said.
“He's just clearly not for women and Wisconsin families,” she said. “We want to elevate that because you only win (elections in Wisconsin) on the margins.”
Godlewski said Women Against Ron’s mission is to turn the energy among voters who support abortion access, especially women, “into action.”
The second focus of the PAC, Godlewski said, will be to support six women running for state legislative races to prevent Republicans from achieving supermajorities in the Legislature. Godlewski said “Women Save the Veto,” as the initiative is known, will focus on six competitive races “because we are six seats away from losing the governor's veto.”
Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat locked in a tough reelection battle, engaged in a similar effort in 2020. With gerrymandered legislative maps strongly favoring Republicans, a shift of even a few seats could give GOP lawmakers the majorities they need to pass legislation without fear of it being vetoed by Evers — if he wins reelection in November.
The PAC is targeting four Assembly races and two state Senate races, Godlewski said. State Reps. Lee Snodgrass, D-Appleton, and Katrina Shankland, D-Stevens Point, who represent districts narrowly won by President Joe Biden in 2020, are among the candidates being supported by Godlewski.
The treasurer is also supporting Luann Bird, who is running for an open Assembly seat in the Milwaukee suburbs, and Lori Palmeri, who is running to replace retiring Rep. Gordon Hintz of Oshkosh.
“Godlewski made codifying abortion rights a pillar of her U.S. Senate campaign.”
On the state Senate side, the PAC will support Kristin Alfheim, an Appleton City Council member running for the seat being vacated by Sen. Roger Roth, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor. Godlewski’s group will also support Kelly Westlund, who is running for the state Senate seat in northern Wisconsin currently held by retiring Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley. Former President Donald Trump won the district in 2020, and securing the seat is a top priority for Republicans.
Godlewski said she plans to make visits to the districts to campaign for all six candidates, adding that she wants “to be everywhere and help them as much as I can.”
The treasurer said she would also tap into her national donor base for the candidates and plans to host fundraisers for them in both Madison and Milwaukee.
All the while, Godlewski said she will continue to push a familiar message: “Do you want politicians making your health care decisions? Or do you want to be able to make your health care decisions?”
Godlewski made codifying abortion rights a pillar of her U.S. Senate campaign.
The fall’s legislative races and statewide elections for governor, U.S. Senate and attorney general, among others, will take place Nov. 8.
