Beto O'Rourke intensifies campaign on abortion rights as trigger law goes into effect

by Patrick Svitek, Texas Tribune


Beto O’Rourke is amping up his already dogged criticism of Gov. Greg Abbott over abortion rights as Texas’ “trigger law” takes effect Thursday, banning nearly all abortion in the state after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

The Democratic nominee for governor is featuring the issue in his first general-election TV ads, which are airing during two preseason football games Thursday and Friday nights, according to his campaign. O’Rourke also marked the law’s implementation with a news conference Thursday morning in Houston, where he was joined by women and doctors who have been affected by the state’s abortion restrictions.

In recent emails to supporters, O’Rourke has suggested the abortion ban is “the most important thing” that voters need to know about Abbott, signaling a hard-fought homestretch over the issue.

O’Rourke’s TV buy during the football games represents a small fraction of the kind of advertising that Abbott’s campaign has been doing on the air since last week, but the challenger’s campaign says it wants to reach the large audiences of the preseason games with a timely message.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/08/25/beto-orourke-abortion-texas/