Biden Launches Pro-Abortion Ad Campaign in Arizona while Republicans Scramble to Respond

The Biden campaign is launching a series of pro-abortion ads in Arizona ahead of a November ballot initiative to enshrine a “right” to abortion in the Grand Canyon State’s constitution. In the “Power Back” ad, President Joe Biden himself addresses voters. “Because of Donald Trump, millions of women lost the fundamental freedom to control their own bodies,” Biden intones. “The question is — if Donald Trump gets back in power, what freedom will you lose next? Your body and your decision belong to you, not the government, not Donald Trump.” At the 30-second ad’s close, the president pledges, “I will fight like hell to get your freedom back.” The Biden campaign is reportedly spending at least $1 million on the ads.

The ad comes after the Arizona Supreme Court ruled this week that a long-dormant pro-life law could once again go into effect, following the 2022 dismantling of Roe v. Wade. The law makes committing an abortion a felony.

In the wake of the court’s ruling, numerous Arizona Republicans condemned the pro-life law. U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake issued a statement saying that abortion “is a very personal issue that should be determined by each individual state and her people. I oppose today’s ruling…” Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) claimed, “Today’s ruling is a disaster for women and providers. … We must do better for women, and I call on our state policymakers to immediately address this in a bipartisan manner.” Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) agreed, saying, “I do not support today’s ruling from the AZ Supreme Court.”

However, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) announced last week that Arizona is one of the states it is targeting with pro-abortion campaigning, specifically targeting both Ciscomani’s and Schweikert’s House seats. The DCCC memo said that abortion-related ballot initiatives “further guarantees that reproductive freedom will remain a driving issue for voters this November, putting vulnerable House Republicans and GOP candidates on the hook for their anti-abortion and anti-freedom positions.”

In comments to The Washington Stand, Family Research Council’s Director of the Center for Human Dignity Mary Szoch called on Republicans not to back away from pro-life messaging but to take a strong stance against abortion. “First, Republicans should start by saying what they’re for,” she advised. “Babies are beautiful gifts to our world and, often, moms are superheroes who can overcome overwhelming odds. Republicans need to talk about the ways they are working to protect babies while empowering and supporting moms.”

Republican leaders agree, urging GOP office-holders and candidates not to back away from their pro-life positions. National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) said in a recent interview, “It’s important that voters know where the candidates stand, and to not run away from the issue.” Daines has joined with the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in calling on candidates to be more outspoken on pro-life messaging, to “confidently articulate” their positions and not shy away from the issue.

As Szoch said, Americans need to know that “abortion kills a human being — Republicans can’t let Biden get away with pretending that abortion magically makes a baby disappear. There are many abortion survivors who speak about the horrific practice that attempted to claim their life, and there are many women who speak about the ways abortion hurt them — both physically and mentally. Their stories should be a hallmark of the campaign to defend life.”

Szoch concluded, “Unborn children and their mothers deserve to have someone stand up for them. Now is the time for Republicans to do it.”