LuAnn Bird is the Democratic candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly District 61. In a social media post on X, formerly Twitter, Bird said, “it’s time to remove all government restrictions on women’s health care. Women deserve privacy when making decisions about their body.” 

According to her campaign website, Bird says “now I’m running for the Assembly because we have big problems in Madison and I just can’t sit back. Extreme MAGA politicians are taking away women's rights to reproductive health care including deciding when a doctor can save a woman’s life.”

Bird has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin. 

Following redistricting, the Republican incumbent in the race is Bob Donovan, who currently represents District 84. 

Donovan was among the Wisconsin Republican lawmakers who voted to uphold the state’s 1849 abortion ban, which had no exceptions for rape or incest.  According to the Wisconsin Examiner, “Democrats in the Senate and Assembly introduced amendments that would have added language in the 2023-25 budget bill to repeal the ban, which holds that any person — except the mother — who intentionally destroys the life of an unborn child could be found guilty of a felony.” 

Donovan also voted for Assembly Bill 975 to “call for a binding statewide referendum to ban abortion after 14 weeks of pregnancy,” according to the Associated Press.

Updated September 26, 2024.