GREEN BAY (NBC26) — With Supreme Court hearings underway for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Wisconsinites are weighing in.
Ron Johnson, Senator of Wisconsin, says he couldn't be more pleased with President Trump's selection, and hopes she has a swift confirmation.
“She's a great person, a highly qualified judge, a highly respected judge," said Johnson. "She will apply the law, not alter it, not legislating from the bench, but literally confining her role on the bench being a judge and applying the law as it’s written and as the constitution is written.”
Andrew Hitt, Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, says she is the exact type of judge who appeals to Wisconsin voters.
“Wisconsinites are very in tune with the judicial philosophy discussion," said Hitt. "They’re highly highly educated voters on these issues because of the importance supreme court elections that we’ve had in Wisconsin.”
But Josh Kaul, Attorney General for Wisconsin, says she doesn't represent the state at all.
“That confirmation if it goes forward, will have extraordinarily harmful consequences for people’s health," said Kaul. “When it comes to trying to entrench political power, we have seen a rush to action. We saw that with this confirmation hearing, that’s happening today."
If Barrett is confirmed, the conservative-majority court will end the Affordable Care Act, he said. 20 millions Americans will lose their health insurance.
“it’s not in the interests of the people of the state of wisconsin. Not at all.”
Renee Gasch, a thyroid cancer survivor from De Pere, says the ACA protects people like her.
“There’s nothing more stressful that thinking about the supreme court overturning reductions for people with pre-existing conditions," said Gasch.
Amy Coney Barrett is pro-life, but Gasch says she doesn't think this judge cares about hers.
“It doesn’t really feel like they’re that concerned about my life or my family’s life," said Gasch. "Before I was just worried about dying. Now I’m afraid I’m going to bankrupt my family first.”
