Harris leans into economy and abortion rights in new ads in final days of presidential campaign

Vice President Kamala Harris is leaning into the economy and abortion rights in some of her last advertisements before Election Day, as her closing message comes into focus.

One of two new ads that are set to air this week in the seven battleground states includes a direct-to-camera appearance by Harris, where she says if elected, former President Donald Trump will “wake up every day and stew over his enemies list.”

“Next January, one of us will be President… If I am president, I will be focused on my to-do list for you, the American people,” Harris says in the ad, “Lists,” which was obtained first by CBS News. Harris then ticks through some of her economic proposals to cut everyday costs, such as enacting a federal ban on price gouging and incentives to make housing more affordable. 

The ads will air on broadcast and cable TV programming and are part of the $370 million ad buy that the Harris campaign announced in August, which began on Labor Day and will run through Election Day. 

The focus on the economy comes as Harris has been more competitive with Trump in terms of polling on the issue. An October CBS News poll showed Harris gained 5 points from August in terms of voters who believe her policies would make them financially better off. 

Trump still holds the edge in this category: 44% believe his economic plans will help them, and among voters who cite the economy as a major factor, 56% believe this, compared to 43% for Harris’ 43%.

The second Harris campaign ad, titled “Punishment,” is centered around a 2016 interview clip of Trump in which he called for “some form of punishment” for women who have abortions. Trump’s campaign clarified that if Congress made abortion illegal, that the doctor would be held responsible, not the woman. The ad also features several women who have appeared in Harris campaign ads or on the trail for her, who have personal stories regarding abortions or their inability to obtain an abortion after the Dobbs decision. 

The issue of abortion access and women’s reproductive rights has been a galvanizing force for the Democratic party and Harris’ campaign, especially among women and younger voters. In an October CBS News poll of the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania, of those that ranked abortion as a “major factor” in their vote, 62% were women and 67% were under 30 years old. 

Trump has had shifting positions on abortion access, often saying that it should be left up to the states to decide. Last Saturday, he suggested that abortion “has dropped way down as an issue” and that voters are more focused on immigration and the economy. He said Wednesday during a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, that he would “protect the women of our country… whether the women like it or not.”

On Thursday, Harris called Trump’s comment “very offensive” and told reporters in Wisconsin it is the “latest in a series of reveals by the former president of how he thinks about women and their agency.”

“These ads focus on core issues that matter most to our voters, and cement the fundamental closing contrast in this election: between a candidate in Vice President Harris who will work everyday to fight for the American people and Donald Trump who is out for only himself,” said Harris-Walz principal deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks.

The “Punishment” spot will air during broadcast shows and on cable networks that reach predominantly female audiences, such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The View,” Bravo, Hallmark, HGTV and TLC. “Lists” is targeted to shows with more politically diverse audiences with high viewership, such as “Shark Tank,” “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune.”