Abbott, Beto strike different tones in first TV ads for TX governor’s race. Watch them here
Gov. Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke are out with television ads ahead of the Nov. 8 general election and the two candidates for Texas governor are striking different tones as they appeal to potential voters.
O’Rourke, a Democrat, is releasing two ads that will begin airing Thursday focused on Texas’ abortion policy. The airing of the ads align with Thursday’s start of the state’s “trigger” law that bans most abortions.
O’Rourke’s ads cast Texas’ abortion law as too extreme.
“From this day forward, August 25th, women all across Texas are no longer free to make decisions about our own body,” voice overs in one ad featuring videos of a number of women says. “No longer free to choose if a pregnancy is right for us or our families, not even in cases of rape or incest. And women will die because of it, all because of Greg Abbott’s abortion law.”
The second ad highlights a Fort Worth couple, Amy and Trey Ramsey: Amy, a lifelong Democrat and Trey, a lifelong Republican, according to the television advertisement. Despite their differing political parties, both criticize the state’s abortion law.
O’Rourke’s campaign announced the ad buy, which is the first of his campaign, last week but did not release the footage.
While O’Rourke’s ads take aim at Texas abortion policy, Abbott’s campaign focuses on the governor’s life and family in his first TV ad of the general election cycle. The buy totals $4.2 million, and the ad runs statewide and has already begun airing, spokesperson Renae Eze said in an email exchange. Abbott’s campaign released the ad earlier this month.
First Lady Cecilia Abbott recounts how she and Abbott met in college and got married soon after. Abbott, a Republican, uses a wheelchair after he was paralyzed when he was struck by a falling tree while jogging.
“I learned what Greg Abbott was really made of when I saw how he responded to his paralyzing accident,” the first lady said in the ad titled “Cecilia.”
“His recovery took months, but he never gave up. And the joys of our marriage and adopting our daughter, Audrey, showed me the depths of his love and commitment. Hard work, perseverance and family; that’s what defines Greg Abbott and how he governs Texas.”
O’Rourke’s ads, titled “Abbott’s Abortion Ban” and “Too Extreme for Texas”, are airing in seven TV markets — Houston, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, RGV, Laredo, and San Antonio — as well as digitally statewide, spokesperson Chris Evans said in an email.
They will play on TV during Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans preseason games. Evans said the total ad buy is in the six figures. It was funded by donations from Texas women in the days after Roe v. Wade was overturned, according to a news release.
An August poll from The Dallas Morning News and The University of Texas at Tyler put Abbott with a seven percentage point lead over O’Rourke.
Election day is Nov. 8 and early voting starts Oct. 24.
Watch the ads
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
Democratic nominee Beto O’Rourke
