Gavin Newsom’s PAC Hits DeSantis With Attack Ad Ahead Of High Profile Debate

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s PAC ran an ad on Sunday hitting Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on his abortion record.

Campaign for Democracy PAC, a committee launched by Newsom in March, spent $185,000 to run TV advertisements in Florida and Washington, D.C., accusing DeSantis of wanting to imprison women and doctors complicit in abortions performed after six weeks, according to AdImpact. DeSantis and Newsom have been publicly feuding for months, with the two set to face off in a prime-time debate on Fox News on Nov. 30.

The ad features pictures of women and doctors on a “wanted” poster.

“Wanted, by order of Governor Ron DeSantis, any woman who has an abortion after six weeks and any doctor who gives her care will be guilty of a felony” the ad, read by Newsom, begins. “Many women don’t even know they’re pregnant at six weeks.”

Florida law prohibits abortion after a fetus’ heartbeat is generally detectable.

“That’s not freedom, it’s Ron DeSantis’ Florida,” Newsom said at the close of the ad.

The abortion ad will play in the lead-up to his debate with DeSantis, according to Politico. It will also air during Sunday night football in Florida and Washington D.C.

“Democrats like @GavinNewsom can’t defend their own position on abortion (up until birth) so they make stuff up to scare people,”  DeSantis campaign Press Secretary Bryan Griffin tweeted in response to the ad.

Newsom and DeSantis’ feud has been ongoing, with the two governors trading blows over their respective records.

Newsom called the Florida governor a “small, pathetic man” in June over his handling of the inflow of migrants into the country. In September, he said that DeSantis’ campaign had “belly-flopped.”

DeSantis’ campaign has called Newsom’s style of governance a “blueprint for failure.” DeSantis blamed Newsom for the high net migration out of California, as well.

DeSantis’ support among Republican primary voters has been on a steady decline since the beginning of the year, according to FiveThirtyEight.

Fight Right, a nonprofit launched by individuals close to DeSantis, recently reserved more than $700,000 in advertisements in Iowa, The New York Times reported. DeSantis, himself, has spent more than $40 million on advertisements throughout his campaign, according to AdImpact.

Some have speculated that Newsom may have presidential ambitions of his own, though the governor has committed to backing Biden in 2024.

“Real Time” host Bill Maher accused Newsom of running a “shadow campaign” for president, pointing to his meetings with world leaders.

Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.