Unless you live in the state of Texas or happen to be a political junkie who regularly follows campaigns in other states, you may not have seen the hottest political ad of the 2022 midterm elections.
The ad, which is aimed at Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), has quickly gone viral, and is being shown all over cable television and online, where it is quickly earning the reputation as the most brilliant political ad in years.
Newsweek notes:
The Mothers Against Greg Abbott PAC posted the ad on Twitter on Monday, where it has since amassed more than 3 million views.
It begins with a nervous couple waiting in a doctor’s office. When the doctor enters, he solemnly tells them their baby has a “catastrophic brain abnormality.”
Nancy Thompson, the founder of the Mothers Against Greg Abbott PAC, explained the purpose of the ad:
“(It shows) the absurdity and horror of the government making a deeply personal decision – a decision which should be made between a woman and her health care provider. The video has been well received… We’re getting donations, and we’re not going to stop.”
Could a political ad in deep red Texas actually manage to turn the tide against the incumbent Abbott, who is facing a challenge from Democrat Beto O’Rourke? That depends on who you talk to, but the polls suggest that Abbott is indeed vulnerable and facing the political battle of his life, according to Axios:
In December, after the well-known Democrat announced his campaign, 54% of voters supported Abbott, compared to 37% who supported O’Rourke, a Quinnipiac University poll showed.
This month, 48% of voters support Abbott compared to 43% who support O’Rourke.
What, you may ask, is happening in Texas, long thought to be a conservative stronghold? In a word, pessimism:
Texans think Texas is on the wrong track and have expressed pessimism about their personal finances and the national economy.
Abbott’s approval rating has slipped to 43%, and 26% of Texas Republicans disapprove of the governor’s handling of the electric grid, according to the latest polling figures from the Texas Politics Project.
Additionally, following the money shows where the momentum is in the last three months of the race, with O’Rourke outraising Abbott since February.
Will Beto pull off one of the great political upsets in electoral history? It’s too soon to say definitively, but if it does happen, a viral campaign ad may well prove to have been the beginning of the end for Greg Abbott.
