Democratic ads on abortion rights have flooded the airwaves in the days after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade.
Since the Dobbs decision was issued last Friday, $4 million has been spent on abortion ads — a total of 56 unique ads and 8,900 airings, according to AdImpact. The vast majority of spots are from Democrats angered at the decision while Republicans have stayed relatively quiet on the issue.
In competitive Senate, House and gubernatorial races, Democrats and pro-abortion rights groups are leaning into the court’s decision as a way to motivate voters in November. Here’s a sampling of the major pro-abortion rights messaging Americans saw on their television screens this past week.
Senate races
→ Pennsylvania: Planned Parenthood Votes is attacking Mehmet Oz’s abortion stances as “too extreme for Pennsylvania” in a new spot. Planned Parenthood says it will spend up to $3 million on this ad buy.
→ New Hampshire: As we reported Thursday morning, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) released a direct-to-camera ad vowing to fight back against attempts to institute a national abortion ban.
Emily’s List also ran an ad praising Hassan for “working for a federal law to protect a woman’s right to make her own personal decisions.”
→ Wisconsin: Planned Parenthood Action Fund ripped Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) for calling for overturning Roe. An ad from the group accuses Johnson of “putting our health and reproductive rights in danger.”
→ Nevada: A spot from Women Vote! PAC highlighted GOP Senate candidate Adam Laxalt’s anti-abortion rights stances. “He’s coming after our freedom. We need to tell him no,” the spot concludes.
→ Washington: Sen. Patty Murray’s (D-Wash.) campaign seized on the Dobbs decision to draw attention to Murray’s likely general election opponent Tiffany Smiley’s past statements where she identified as “100% pro-life.”
House races
→ Nevada’s 3rd District: Incumbent Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) is in one of the tightest reelection campaigns of any House Democrat. Her campaign quickly put out an ad contrasting Lee with GOP opponent April Becker on abortion rights.
“April Becker — threatening every woman’s right to choose. Exactly why we need Susie Lee, endorsed by Planned Parenthood. Lee will protect our right to choose — always,” the ad says.
→ Washington’s 8th District: Frontline Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) released a new ad after the Dobbs decision where she spoke directly to camera on abortion rights. Here’s Schrier:
“As a doctor, my oath is to protect patients. As your congresswoman, my oath is to protect your rights. Now that the court has overturned Roe, Congress must protect a woman’s right to choose.”
Gubernatorial races
→ Illinois: Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s campaign is attacking GOP candidate Darren Bailey for his anti-abortion rights views. Plus, the Pritzker campaign also released an ad featuring Illinois women applauding Pritzker’s actions codifying a right to abortion in the state.
→ Connecticut: Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont also is out with an ad arguing Connecticut has “the strongest protections for a woman’s right to choose” in the country.