Democratic group launches battleground ads hitting Trump on abortion

A major Democratic super PAC unveiled a wave of new ads targeting former President Trump on the issue of reproductive rights on Thursday, highlighting the stories of women in key battleground states.

American Bridge 21st Century launched ads in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as part of a $15 million ad buy. The 60-second ads feature different women who reside in each state arguing Trump’s agenda poses risks to reproductive rights.

One ad highlights Trump bragging about ending Roe v. Wade. Another features a Wisconsin OB-GYN speaking about how abortion bans are creating medical crises for pregnant women. Another features a Michigan OB-GYN who praises Vice President Harris for wanting to give women the autonomy to make their own medical decisions.

“American Bridge’s program to defeat Donald Trump has always been about three things: abortion, democracy, and freedom. Today, voters in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin will continue to hear from women in their own communities about how devastating another Donald Trump administration would be for anyone who values their rights, their freedoms, and our democracy,” Bradley Beychok, co-founder of American Bridge 21st Century, said in a statement.

“Voters in the Blue Wall states, especially women, will make or break this election,” Beychok added. “That’s why American Bridge is putting their true stories about Trump’s threats to reproductive rights at the forefront of our paid media program, and why we’re fighting to make sure that voters know how much is at stake this November.”

The ad campaign is part of a broader $140 million paid media program by American Bridge in the 2024 cycle to target voters in key swing states.

Democrats are banking on abortion being a key issue for voters this fall and have spent millions on ads highlighting Trump taking credit for ending Roe v. Wade through his appointment of three conservative Supreme Court justices.

In Tuesday’s debate, Trump refused to say whether he would veto a national abortion ban if it reached his desk.

The former president has argued abortion should be left up to individual states to determine policy, either through legislation or ballot referendums. He has also said he supports exceptions that allow for the procedure in cases of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is at risk.