Illinois history has lessons on the politics of abortion

“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes,” the saying goes. In the case of politics, that’s certainly true when it comes to the issue of abortion and its impact on elections nationwide. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, abortion has become the centerpiece of numerous electoral contests. But in many ways, this pattern is nothing new, particularly in Illinois.

In 1989, the Supreme Court came down with another decision called Webster v. Reproductive Health Services that upheld a restrictive abortion law and allowed states more leeway in regulating abortion. When Illinois’ foremost pro-life leader, then-State Rep. Penny Pullen, sought to introduce similar restrictions in Illinois after Webster, it sparked a primary challenge from Rosemary Mulligan, a pro-choice activist and paralegal from Des Plaines.

In time, this little race in the northwest suburbs of Chicago quickly became viewed as a national proxy battle on abortion. Both pro-choice and pro-life groups bolstered their favored candidate. The race came down to a tie, was at one point decided by a coin toss, and underwent a closely-watched recount over “dimpled chads.” With uncanny parallels to our current political environment, there’s a lot the legendary Pullen-Mulligan race, which Pullen eventually won, race can teach us about today.

First, when it comes to Illinois, the politics of abortion have changed dramatically. As recently as the 1990s, Illinois was a battleground on the issue, a reality that would probably surprise many Illinois voters today as the Prairie State passes laws to protect access to abortion. Party lines were also not necessarily reflective of a legislator’s view on the issue. In the legislature, it was not uncommon to find pro-choice suburban Republicans.

On the opposite end, pro-life Catholic Democrats and pro-life Black Democrats in the city, both largely driven by faith, were another powerful constituency. Even longtime Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan had professed himself to be pro-life for many years. And when Penny Pullen, like many legislators post-Dobbs, attempted to pass a measure restricting abortion after the Webster decision, her bill failed by one vote — from a Republican in Elmhurst. Today, however, the politics of the issue fall much more neatly along party lines.

An issue that drives turnout, even in down-ballot races

The closely-watched contest between Mulligan and Pullen also showed early signs of just how much the issue of abortion could drive turnout, with that year’s primary race shattering records in the 55th legislative district.

In recent years, the political potency of this issue has continually been tested across the country, from Kansas and Montana to California and Kentucky. In Ohio, the most recent state to vote directly on the issue, turnout was roughly 95% of 2022 midterm levels, a particularly impressive number for an off-year election. Whether statewide or in contests down-ballot, both history and recent elections show us there appear to be no signs of this issue taking a back seat in voters’ minds.

The Pullen-Mulligan race also highlights the importance of down-ballot contests in our daily lives. On average, state legislatures introduce 23 times as many bills as Congress annually, close to 130,000 bills each year. The average state legislator with a leadership position or committee chairmanship arguably has more power and influence on our daily lives than your run-of-the-mill member of Congress, yet state and local leaders attract far less attention. In fact, fewer than one in five Americans can even name one of their state legislators.

Neither Rosemary Mulligan nor Penny Pullen is a household name today, but their story is emblematic of the important work performed by state legislators across the country each year that often goes unnoticed. Put simply, the issues that impact us most are decided in state capitals like Springfield, not in Washington.

Today, a list of our country’s most contentious issues could easily be confused for the agenda of a state legislature. The freedom to carry firearms or stricter gun control. Religious liberty or freedom from religion. And yes, abortion. If you look closely enough, there is a Rosemary Mulligan and a Penny Pullen advocating passionately for either side of these issues in every state across the country. They’re watching carefully. The only question is: Who’s watching them?

Patrick Wohl is the author of “Down Ballot: How A Local Campaign Became A National Referendum on Abortion.” It tells the story of the 1990 and 1992 campaigns between Penny Pullen and Rosemary Mulligan.

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