A new web video from Rep. Ed Markey’s (D-MA) Senate campaign attacks his Republican rival, businessman Gabriel Gomez, for his positions on women’s issues. A source on the Markey campaign told TPM they see women’s issues as a major weakness for Gomez and are planning more similar attacks.
“Gabriel Gomez has shown a serious vulnerability on women’s issues, and so we’re going to continue to highlight his willingness to support pro-life justices for the Supreme Court who’d overturn Roe v. Wade and refusal to take a position on measures like the Blunt Amendment,” the source said. “Gomez’s support erodes the more he’s forced to come clean and talk about these issues.”
A recent poll showed Gomez’s support among women voters is dropping. At a debate between Gomez and Markey on Wednesday, Gomez said he would not support or oppose the nomination of a potential Supreme Court justice based solely on their position on abortion.
The Markey campaign’s new web video, which is entitled “24-Hour Flip Flop” begins with Gomez’s statement in the debate that he thinks requiring a woman to wait 24 hours before getting an abortion “is not asking a lot.” The video goes on to note Gomez tried to clarify that comment the day after the debate and said he would oppose any plan to establish 24-hour abortion waiting periods.
Text appearing in the video claims Gomez’s evolving position on waiting periods “isn’t the first time Gomez has been uncertain of his views on women’s issues.” It goes on to highlight Gomez’s reluctance to say definitively whether he supports or opposes amendments that would ban federal funds for abortion or allow employers to deny birth control coverage.
“How can Massachusetts women really trust someone so uncertain about women’s health issues?” text in the video asks.
Gomez has stated on mulitple occasions that, though he is “personally pro-life,” he would not seek to change current abortion laws if he enters the Senate. Will Ritter, a spokesman for the Gomez campaign, repeated this argument and pointed to Markey’s past opposition to abortion when asked about the new web video.
“Its not surprising Ed Markey and his allies are desperate in their attempts to pretend Gabriel Gomez supports something he does not. Gabriel Gomez has stated from Day One that he will not go to Washington to change the law on abortion,” Ritter said. “The only candidate in this election who supported a constitutional ban on abortion is career Washington politician Ed Markey.”
Watch the Markey campaign’s video below.