Protect Women Ohio Launches $5.5 Million Ad Buy to Support Issue 1 in Final Week

The pro-family group Protect Women Ohio (PWO) has launched a $5.5 million ad buy in support of Issue 1 in the final week before the state’s August 8 election. If Issue 1 passes, it will raise the threshold needed to amend the state’s constitution from 50% to 60%.

The organization describes itself as a pro-parent, pro-woman, pro-life coalition made up of concerned family leaders, parents, health and medical experts, and faith leaders in Ohio.

PWO has launched the ads “to protect Ohio’s constitution from out-of-state special interest groups.”

The ad buy includes $4.5 million for two new statewide television ads that will run on broadcast, cable and satellite and an additional $1 million for statewide radio and targeted digital advertisements.

This is the second round of advertising PWO has purchased. Earlier this year, the organization bought $2 million worth of airtime for a 30-second television ad, along with a $1 million investment in radio and digital ads.

“The secret is out: Ohio has some of the weakest requirements in the country for passing constitutional amendments and greedy, out-of-state special interest groups with deep pockets know it,” said Molly Smith, PWO board member, in a statement announcing the purchase.

Smith added:

That makes Ohio a prime target for radical special interest groups, like the ACLU, to parachute into the state and strip parents of their rights. Enough is enough. It’s time to pass Issue 1 and put long overdue, common-sense protections in place.

You can watch PWO’s advertisement “Vivina” here:

The upcoming vote on Issue 1 is crucial to protecting life in Ohio. In November, Ohioans will vote on the Ohio Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative (2023) which would legalize abortions up until birth and permit minors to receive transgender medical interventions without parental involvement or consent.

Proponents of Issue 1 hope to make it more difficult for the abortion initiative to pass this fall.

According to recently released figures, the pro-abortion lobby is spending heavily to defeat Issue 1.

The Dayton Daily News reports that “The official ‘No’ campaign committee, One Person One Vote, out-raised the official ‘Yes’ committee, Protect Our Constitution, $14.8 million to $4.9 million through July 19.”

Millions of the $14.9 million raised for the official “No” committee has been donated by “progressive dark money groups” including a $2.5 million donation from the liberal Washington, D.C.-based Sixteen Thirty Fund. Another $1.9 million came from the liberal Tides Foundation which advocates for “LGBT and women’s rights” and has an annual revenue of $1.3 billion.

Additionally, $5.9 million of the money supporting the “No” campaign originated from Washington, D.C., while an additional $4.4 million has come from California.

Protect Women Ohio’s push to support Issue 1 should be greatly commended because it’s critical for its supporters to place serious money behind promoting it.

Last year, pro-life supporters learned a big lesson: when it comes to political success, money matters.

In 2022, pro-life supporters went zero for six in protecting life at the ballot box. Part of the reason was due to a lack of funding. For example, the pro-abortion lobby spent $46 to support the pro-abortion ballot measure in Michigan, whereas pro-life supporters spent just $17 million – a nearly $30 million fundraising gap.

If Issue 1 succeeds next week, pro-life supporters will have Protect Women Ohio to thank.

In the lead up to the August 8 election, pro-life individuals must defend life in Ohio. Here’s how you can help:

FIRST, please pray for the success of Issue 1 and pray for the defeat of the Right to Make Reproductive Decisions initiative.

SECOND, if you are in Ohio, please vote YES on Issue 1 in August and NO on the Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Measure in November.

THIRD, for pro-life individuals looking to get involved in Ohio, please visit the Center for Christian Virtue, a Focus on the Family-allied state family policy council. Go to ccv.org/pledge (then click resources under the menu, or at the bottom of the pledge page) and ccv.org/countycaptain.

It’s time for pro-life supporters to turn the tide and defend life in the Buckeye State.

Related articles and resources:

Center for Christian Virtue: Issue 1

Our Founding Fathers Would Be Proud and Approve of Ohio’s State Issue 1

Pro-Life Supporters: Please Pray for the Success of Issue 1 as Early Voting Begins in Ohio

Calling All Pro-Life Supporters: All Hands on Deck to Protect Life in Ohio

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