What messaging worked in Kansas? Let's look at the ads from the winning "NO" team...
One theme: labelling the proposed amendment as a "government mandate." In this ad the word abortion is not said:
"It's a strict government mandate designed to interfere with private medical decisions ... Kansans don't want another government mandate."
"It's a strict government mandate designed to interfere with private medical decisions ... Kansans don't want another government mandate."
This ad features a male doctor:
"Do no harm. That's the oath we take as doctors. But now the government wants to force doctors ...to break that oath ...It's a government mandate that could ban all abortions with no exceptions, even rape and incest"
"Do no harm. That's the oath we take as doctors. But now the government wants to force doctors ...to break that oath ...It's a government mandate that could ban all abortions with no exceptions, even rape and incest"
This ad features a mother talking about an abortion needed to save her life:
"It's an impossible choice ... I had a three year old son at the time and a husband ... if I didn't have an abortion they would be without their mother and their wife"
"It's an impossible choice ... I had a three year old son at the time and a husband ... if I didn't have an abortion they would be without their mother and their wife"
This ad emphasizes existing abortion rules to suggest the amendment is "extreme and goes too far":
"Abortion is already highly regulated in Kansas ... Taxpayer funding for abortion: outlawed. Abortion after viability: banned. Parental consent: required."
"Abortion is already highly regulated in Kansas ... Taxpayer funding for abortion: outlawed. Abortion after viability: banned. Parental consent: required."
This ad features a Catholic grandmother:
"Growing up Catholic, we didn't talk about abortion. But now it's on the ballot ... If it were my granddaughter, I wouldn't want the government making that decision for her."
"Growing up Catholic, we didn't talk about abortion. But now it's on the ballot ... If it were my granddaughter, I wouldn't want the government making that decision for her."
This ad is a response ad poking holes in the pro-life ad campaign: "supporters aren't telling you the truth"
Here's another that doesn't mention abortion directly:
"It gives government more power over your privacy and your personal medical decisions. Don't let politicians take away your freedom."
"It gives government more power over your privacy and your personal medical decisions. Don't let politicians take away your freedom."
And this one features "a pastor for over 50 years"
"As Christians we are instructed to love one another. We do so when we respect and trust women as God does. I'm voting No ... because it replaces religious freedom with government control."
"As Christians we are instructed to love one another. We do so when we respect and trust women as God does. I'm voting No ... because it replaces religious freedom with government control."
Check out my @monthly analysis of the Kansas abortion rights victory here: washingtonmonthly.com/2022/08/03/wha…
And now check out an even deeper analysis of the Kansas abortion rights ad campaign, in my @monthly latest
washingtonmonthly.com/2022/08/05/the…
washingtonmonthly.com/2022/08/05/the…
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