Governor Gavin Newsom of California has launched an extensive ad campaign in multiple states to combat proposed abortion travel restrictions in Republican-controlled states. This comprehensive campaign, which includes a six-figure budget, will begin on Monday and features a targeted TV ad addressing a bill currently being reviewed in Tennessee. In addition to the ad campaign, an online petition initiative will also be launched.
In Tennessee, a group of eight Republican male state legislators is leading the way in proposing new bills that seek to establish a felony offense known as “abortion trafficking.” The primary goal of these bills is to criminalize any adults who assist minors in obtaining abortions or medications to terminate early pregnancies without the consent of their parents or legal guardians. Moreover, these bills also provide the opportunity for civil lawsuits to be filed in cases involving the “wrongful death of an unborn child that was aborted.”
Similar bills are currently under consideration in various states with strict abortion regulations, such as Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama. In response to these initiatives, Governor Newsom is taking action through RightToTravel.org, a project backed by a national political action committee that he established last year using $10 million from his state campaign funds. This undertaking, known as the “Campaign for Democracy,” seeks to provide assistance to Democrats and push back against what Governor Newsom views as an extremely conservative Republican agenda.
Governor Newsom declared in a news release that the campaign aims to counter the attempts made by Trump Republicans to restrict women’s reproductive rights. He stated, “We must not allow Trump Republicans to hold women hostage. These abortion travel bans are a disturbing and manipulative tactic employed by the far right to exert control over women and strip away their freedom. We must stand up and fight against it.” The campaign serves as a strong response to safeguard reproductive rights and empower Democrats amidst the current political climate.
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