A prominent abortion rights coalition in Nevada is pouring $1 million into a new advertising push aimed at securing voter approval for a constitutional amendment that would permanently protect abortion access in the state.
Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom launched the digital campaign this week, seeking to remind supporters of abortion rights to turn out and vote yes on the measure again. Abortion is currently legal in Nevada up to 24 weeks after conception, a status that was affirmed by a 2024 ballot initiative that passed with 64% support. But because Nevada law requires a second successful vote to amend the state constitution, the group is not taking any chances.
If approved, the amendment would make it significantly harder for future legislatures to restrict abortion, as any reversal would require two more statewide votes in separate election cycles.
The ad campaign directly targets Republican Governor Joe Lombardo, accusing him of celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, supporting an abortion ban, and vetoing a bipartisan measure that would have protected access to birth control methods like emergency contraceptives and IUDs.
Lombardo is locked in a fiercely competitive gubernatorial rematch against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford, who has made reproductive rights a central pillar of his campaign. The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, rates the race as a “toss-up.”
“Access to health care should not be up for grabs by anti-abortion politicians. Governor Joe Lombardo has repeatedly used his office to undermine reproductive freedom, violating the will of voters. In 2024, two thirds of Nevadans voted to protect abortion access, and this year is our opportunity to make those protections permanent,” said Denise Lopez, president of the coalition, in a statement.
Nevada is one of four states where voters will decide on abortion-related measures in November. Missouri, Virginia, and Idaho are the others. Missouri is also holding a second vote on abortion protections, but the state's Republican-controlled legislature is urging voters to reject what they approved just two years ago—a measure that bears the same title, Amendment 3.
The push comes amid national polling that shows a majority of Americans—up to 60% in some surveys—believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases. Reproductive rights advocates are urging Democrats to lean into the issue ahead of the midterms, hoping to put Republicans in competitive races on the defensive.
As the campaign unfolds, the Supreme Court's new term could also influence the debate, with potential rulings on abortion-related cases looming. Meanwhile, the FDA confirmation hearing has already touched on abortion, and Collins faces an abortion test as the next FDA pick heads to a hearing.
With the election just weeks away, the $1 million ad buy underscores how central reproductive rights have become in Nevada's political landscape, and the high stakes for both parties in a state that has trended Democratic in recent cycles but remains competitive.
