DNC commits funding to target abortion restrictions in Republican states
The Democratic National Committee is launching a new effort to put abortion top of mind for women across the country as the country marks two years since the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which ended the constitutional right to an abortion.
According to a new memo, shown exclusively to CBS News, the DNC is investing at least $8.3 million across every state party in the country this year — a 25% increase since 2020.
In addition to the investments across all state parties, the DNC has also given seven-figure grants to battleground state parties to focus their messaging on abortion ahead of the presidential election.
The memo also states that the DNC is "building infrastructure in red states to fight back against these bans" with what is known as the "Red State Fund." The fund — which targets traditionally Republican states — will be the offensive arm for Democrats to provide resources and education against abortion restrictions.
The DNC invested $4.5 million to the Red State Fund in the 2023-24 cycle.
"As we mark the second anniversary of Dobbs, our work to mobilize voters continues today and lasts through November," Rosemary Boeglin, DNC Communications Director, wrote in the memo. "The only way to restore and expand women's reproductive freedoms is reelecting President Biden and Vice President Harris, and electing Democrats up and down the ballot."
Democrats have been trying to put abortion top of mind for voters in this election cycle as they see it as a winning issue for them.
In the off-year elections in 2023, voters in Virginia rejected Republicans who were running on a 15-week abortion limit platform put forward by GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin and voters in deep-red Ohio approved enshrining access to abortion care into the state constitution.
The DNC said in the memo that if reelected, former President Donald Trump will implement a national abortion ban, but Trump has not been consistent abortion and his campaign has sought to distance themselves from more abortion restrictions.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social in April, Trump declined to endorse a national abortion ban, instead saying that abortion laws should be left to the states.
"My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both," Trump said. "And whatever they decide must be the law of the land in this case, the law of the state."
Most recently in an interview with the All-In podcast, Trump declined again to endorse a national abortion ban.
"I don't need a national ban because it's up to the states right now," Trump said, while also taking credit for overturning Roe vs. Wade in the interview.
CBS News polling shows that while abortion is an important topic for likely voters, it isn't seen nearly as important as the economy and inflation. It trails crime, gun policy, and the state of democracy among importance for voters, though it is a very partisan issue with Democrats caring far more about it than Republicans.
