Days after a New York Times-Siena College poll indicated President Joe Biden trailed GOP front-runner Donald Trump in five critical swing states, one of those swing states — electoral juggernaut Ohio — went to the polls and delivered a resounding victory for the pro-choice movement. (Ohio voted to add abortion rights to its state constitution.)
One result has been Biden’s campaign team recognizing a moment and pumping out numerous videos on social media of Trump bragging about his effectiveness as an advocate for the pro-life movement — the loser on the Ohio ballot.
Biden-Harris HQ, the rapid response Biden campaign social media operation, posted this Trump brag video segment with the former President saying: “Nobody has ever done more for right to life than Donald Trump.”
Trump: Nobody has ever done more for right to life than Donald Trump. I put three justices who all voted to overturn Roe v. Wadepic.twitter.com/hhBkmon21b
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) November 8, 2023
Earlier the same day Biden-Harris HQ featured Trump in 2016 predicting the demise of Roe v. Wade through his SCOTUS Justice choices, saying it “will happen automatically.” (It did.)
Trump in 2016: Roe v. Wade will be overturned if we put another two or three justices on. I am putting pro-life justices on the courtpic.twitter.com/v1T1xWybrA
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) November 8, 2023
Biden’s team then leaned into Trump’s brag that “I’m the one that got rid of Roe v. Wade.”
Trump: I’m the one that got rid of Roe v. Wade pic.twitter.com/vtr5gldPEq
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) November 8, 2023
It is a moment when Trump’s position on abortion — though less severe than some others in the GOP — has been shown unequivocally to be out of step with voters in Ohio. Biden’s team is using the disconnect to suggest the President is generally more aligned with Ohioans than Trump.
Both sides know that national elections like the expected Biden-Trump rematch are — especially when the U.S. is not at war — usually won and lost on pocketbook issues, not social issues, and turn on how Americans feel about their immediate financial futures.
But for the moment the abortion issue is a clear dividing line — and a serious one — between Biden and Trump. Biden’s campaign is trying to demonstrate that it is yet another issue among many where Biden’s policies are closer to what Americans want.
