Looks like Biden’s campaign is strategically targeting Trump on the controversial issues of abortion, fertility, and women’s reproductive rights. What’s his gain in all these, you ask? Well, Biden aims to energize voters who prioritize these issues.
Despite Biden’s complicated history, he seems happy to make it a focal point of the election. In response to recent abortion rulings, such as Arizona’s decision to classify abortion as a felony, the Biden campaign has launched several ads.
These rulings come amid a flurry of state-level legislative efforts to protect abortion rights, prompted by the Trump-backed overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Biden’s Strategic Ads Are Hitting Trump
In one ad, Biden addresses voters, throwing a chilling question: “If Donald Trump gets back in power, what freedom will you lose next?” Another ad, posted on his X account, particularly features a woman sharing her near-death experience from miscarriage.
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Biden added a statistic to the post, saying, “More than 1 in 3 women in America now lives under an abortion ban, with more on the way. Donald Trump did this.” Notably, there is a tricky calculation by Democrat strategists behind Biden’s strategy. They see hitting Trump on abortion as a smart move and a way for Biden to outperform his political luck.
Amanda Litman, co-founder of the Democratic political group Run for Something, emphasizes the power of personal narratives: “It’s less important for Biden to be the messenger on this, and more important for our folks who can talk personally about the impact this has already had in their lives.”
Biden’s campaign aims to rally voters by putting a face to the issue and highlighting its real-world consequences.
First-person Storytelling Causes Political Waves
Several Democratic ads are using the power of first-person storytelling to sideline Biden and let the narratives speak for themselves strategically. This approach seems effective, particularly in unlikely places like Ohio and Kentucky, states with conservative learnings yet recent protection for abortion rights.
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One ad from Andy Beshear’s Kentucky gubernatorial campaign featured Hadley Duvall, a survivor of sexual violence. Notably, Duvall would have been compelled to carry her assailant’s child to term under policies backed by Kentucky Republicans.
Aside from political maneuvering, analysts see the abortion issue as an avenue for coalition-building. Democratic strategist Eric Hyers notes the shocking receptiveness of different demographics to narratives like Duvall’s.
He said, “The voters who moved the most when hearing messages like Hadley’s were the opposite of the voters you might think. It was rural voters, male voters, older voters, Republican voters, non-college-educated voters.”
Does the US Support Abortion?
Biden’s gamble on this matter isn’t baseless. A March KFF poll revealed that one in eight voters considers abortion “crucial” for their electoral decision-making. Additionally, the public view favors keeping abortion rights to varying degrees. A 2023 Gallup survey showed that three-quarters of Americans support legal abortion in the first trimester.
Biden’s Complicated History and Trump’s Delicate Stance
Regarding this abortion matter, Biden’s history on the issue is far from straightforward. As a US senator, he supported a constitutional amendment allowing states to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Moreover, Biden has avoided using the term “abortion” on many occasions, even during significant events like the State of the Union address, drawing criticism from pro-life voters. Biden’s attacks against Trump have exposed a vulnerability on this issue and among his base.
Trump’s recent video clarification on abortion and fertility treatments showed his shaky position. Well, he didn’t call for a national abortion ban in the video. Instead, Trump carefully advocates for states’ rights, hoping to appease both pro-life and more moderate supporters.
Meanwhile, the fallout from the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade extends beyond abortion. In February, the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling noted that the embryos used in these treatments should be considered children.
Despite Trump’s pro-life stance, he and other prominent Republicans have supported IVF, exposing divisions within the conservative camp on this issue.
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