Kamala Harris' presidential campaign launched two new television ads on Wednesday that reflect her campaign's efforts to solidify its position with Black men and its focus on reproductive rights.
In one of the ads, which first aired in Pennsylvania, a young Black man sits on his front steps and compares Harris to his aunt, saying she "shows a lot of compassion" and is "strong," "powerful" and "harsh."
"When I look at Kamala, I look at my aunt. You know what I mean? We got a Black lady who is strong, committed to her cause, walks her talk, and is approachable. I see the compassion in their hearts, the nurturing women they are," says the man identified in the ad as "Duke from Southwest Philadelphia."
As the race for the White House enters its final stretch, attracting young black men has become a focus for Harris' campaign. Elected officials and nonpartisan voter engagement groups have also focused on young black men amid concerns that large numbers of black men will decide to stay home. These efforts focus on emphasizing the importance of voting and reducing misinformation about how to vote and who is eligible to vote.
Another striking new TV ad will debut during a CNN town hall meeting featuring the Harris-Waltz campaign delivering a blistering critique on reproductive rights.
The ad will feature testimony from Texas woman Odrea and her harrowing experience after being denied vital reproductive care. The ad shows "graphic" images of Odrea's premature miscarriage - she was denied an abortion and sent home three days later to give birth to a non-viable fetus. She suffered severe septic shock and a collapsed lung, which prevented doctors from properly closing the incision for three days.
The campaign believes these shocking stories will impact women in battleground states and beyond, as more than a third of women live in states that ban abortion. The ad uses former President Donald Trump's own words to refute him, a tactic Harris has used with increasing frequency over the past few days. To appeal to men, the campaign has also produced a separate short digital ad that tells the story of Odrea's husband, further emphasizing that reproductive rights are also an issue for men.
