A coalition of reproductive rights organizations is unleashing a $15 million advertising campaign backing abortion rights as Arizona faces a key ballot measure on the issue this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The state constitutional amendment put forward by Arizona for Abortion Access, known as Proposition 139, would create a \u201cfundamental right\u201d to receive abortion care up until fetal viability (or about the 24th week of pregnancy), with exceptions after that point if a health care professional decides it\u2019s needed to \u201cprotect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant individual.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under current Arizona law, abortion is legal up until the 15th week of pregnancy, with an exception after that to save the woman\u2019s life or \u201cfor which a delay will create serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.\u201d The current abortion law has no exceptions after 15 weeks in cases of rape or incest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ad blitz from Arizona for Abortion Access includes broadcast, streaming, radio and mail advertisements that will blanket the state through Election Day \u2014 and as early voting kicks off in the state on Oct. 9. The group has spent about $2 million on advertising in the last two months, according to the tracking firm AdImpact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group\u2019s new ad<\/a> features a testimonial from Ashley Ortiz and Vance Rogers, a couple who were denied an abortion under the state\u2019s current law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDoctors told us our baby wouldn\u2019t survive,\u201d Rogers says in the ad. Ortiz says, \u201cThen, those doctors told me us they weren\u2019t allowed to help me because of Arizona\u2019s abortion ban.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ortiz said in an interview that she and Rodgers were hoping to have their first child before complications troubled the pregnancy. \u201cThe baby\u2019s foot was in my uterus, and typically, that\u2019s a point where there\u2019s no turning back,\u201d she said about the complication she faced at 20 weeks of pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe options that we were given were to wait and be hospitalized and wait for him to be completely born, and it would be a stillbirth, or to wait until I became so sick that they had to help me,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was really difficult and very frightening,\u201d she said. Days passed, and \u201con Christmas Eve, the baby\u2019s heart stopped.\u201d She was finally allowed an abortion on Christmas Day. \u201cIt was very cumbersome and difficult, and it was pretty a fairly terrifying experience for me and also for my husband.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arizona for Abortion Access hopes the 30-second testimonial advertisement can put a face to the ramifications of the state\u2019s abortion ban. \u201cI think storytelling is obviously our most compelling way to reach voters,\u201d said Chris Love, a spokeswoman for the group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Love said she hopes the $15 million ad buy \u201ccovers the entirety of the campaign\u201d but didn\u2019t rule out that the organization would launch another ad, and new investment, by Election Day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n