NORFOLK, Va. - — Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Spirit of Virginia Political Action Committee has launched a new ad highlighting the issue of abortion.
The ad aims to persuade voters his abortion proposal is a limit and not a ban.
"It's not just true - their lies about abortion," the ad says. "Here's the truth: there is no ban."
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Gov. Youngkin has come out in support of legislation to allow abortion through 15 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest, and to protect the life of the mother after that.
It would be a change in state law, which currently generally allows abortion through the second trimester or 26-weeks or so.
The Spirit of Virginia PAC is spending nearly $1.5 million to air the ad between now and Election Day on a variety of different platforms, including television.
"There's a gamble to attach to it, right? What they're ultimately trying to do is take control of the narrative early," said Dr. Ben Melusky, a political science professor from Old Dominion University.
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A recent poll from the University of Mary Washington found 53%t of voters say last year's Supreme Court ruling on abortion would play a major factor in how they vote this year, so the ad is timely.
"It's messaging," Melusky said. "It's coming down to jargon. It's whose narrative or how you frame this is actually the most impactful."
But how effective will it be? Last year, anti-abortion measures failed in states like Kansas and Kentucky.
Kaitlin Makuski is the political director of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, who thinks it's smart for campaigns to go on offense in this debate.
"If you're to say it's a ban, but it still allows it up to 15 weeks, that's clearly not a ban," said Makuski.
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Still, the other side isn't backing down. Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC and Vote Pro-choice announced plans to spend $2 million to support candidates who support abortion rights.
"They can try to use a number of different words, but when you strip people of the ability to make their own healthcare decisions that is banning access to healthcare," said Jamie Lockhart, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia.
