Republicans are leaning into the issue of abortion rights. Michael Pope explains how that’s impacting the fall campaigns.
Abortion rights is a topic that Democrats feel will help them in the election this year. But now, Republicans are leaning into the issue with Governor Glenn Youngkin's political action committee investing $1.4 million in a statewide ad campaign. Republicans believe campaigning on the issue of restricting abortion rights is a winner.
"What you’re seeing is a strategic calculation that they are going to put money behind flipping the narrative that Democrats have tried to define Republicans as for a flat out, full ban of abortion," says Parker Slaybaugh, a former Youngkin administration official who is now at the polling outfit Founders Insight.
"And Republicans are saying that's not our position and, oh by the way, the position that Republicans want to make Democrats out to be is very unpopular amongst all Virginians."
That position, the one Republicans want to force on Democrats, is that they want abortion up until the moment of birth.
"Let's set the record straight. There is no such thing as an abortion up until birth," says Jamie Lockhart at Planned Parenthood.
"People who do have abortions later in pregnancy may have been forced to delay care due to existing, unnecessary restrictions or may need care because their health or life is at risk. And each pregnancy and circumstance is unique, and that's why when people are making personal medical decisions, one-size-fits-all laws don't work."
Each side of this debate has polling that says their side can win, so this is a debate that may come down to which side can control the narrative.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
