A conservative advocacy group backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to launch a $550,000 ad campaign in Iowa taking aim at Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on the issue of abortion, The Hill reported Monday.
The campaign, set to be launched by the group And To The Republic (ATTR), will hit Trump on his criticism of 6-week abortion bans, signed into law by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds in July. Trump, who has consistently warned that strict abortion laws will cost Republicans elections, called heartbeat bills a "terrible thing" last month.
Specifically, Trump was reacting to DeSantis' decision to sign into a law a similar 6-week abortion ban.
"I think what he did is a terrible thing and a terrible mistake," Trump said on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sept. 17.
"It's never a "terrible thing" to protect innocent life. I'm proud of the fetal heartbeat bill the Iowa legislature passed and I signed in 2018 and again earlier this year," Reynolds responded to Trump on X.
Trump spoke to Iowans a few days after his remarks on national TV, saying at a rally that "it is very difficult to win elections" if Republicans don't support exceptions to abortion bans. He cited the 2022 midterms as a glaring example, saying GOP candidates "got clobbered" because they didn't know how to talk about the issue.
"In order to win in 2024, Republicans must learn how to properly talk about abortion," Trump said.
And with Trump leading DeSantis — and Nikki Haley — 43% to 16% in Iowa, according to a new poll released Monday, ATTR is poised to roll out big money on the one issue they think can eat into Trump's sizable lead.
DeSantis applauded Reynolds for "promoting a culture of life" in a September post and hit Trump in the process for his "terrible" remarks, likely setting the stage for what's coming next.
"Protecting innocent life is never a terrible thing or a mistake and that is why it is vital we applaud and thank Governor Kim Reynolds for protecting life," Tori Sachs, executive director of And To The Republic said. "Conservative governors around the country are leading the battle against the radical left and they should be applauded, not attacked, for their policies dedicated to saving the lives of innocent babies."