Romney ad emphasizes his support for abortion in some situations

Mitt Romney’ campaign this week released a new ad that highlights a difference between himself and many conservatives.

The ad features a 2008 Barack Obama voter, Sarah Minto, who says she thought media reports of Gov. Romney’s opposition to all abortion and contraceptives seemed “extreme,” so she looked into it. “Turns out Romney doesn’t oppose contraception at all,” she says. “In fact, he thinks abortion should be an option in cases of rape, incest, or to save a mother’s life.”

Minto then pivots back to the economy, saying the abortion issue is important to her, but “I’m more concerned with the debt our children will be left with.”

The ad (see video clip below), airing in Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin, is aimed to pull in women voters, a demographic largely responsible for Romney’s surge in the polls this month. After trailing by sometimes double-digit margins as recently as last month, a USA Today/Gallup poll released this week shows Romney attracting support from 48 percent of women, and President Obama with 49 percent. Obama beat John McCain among women voters by 13 percentage points (56 percent to 43 percent) in 2008.

While the campaign reaches for independent votes, the new ad could dismay conservatives who disagree with Romney. Just last week his running mate, Paul Ryan, affirmed in the vice presidential debate with Joe Biden that he believes life begins at conception. National Right to Life has given Ryan a 100 percent voting for his strong pro-life voting record in Congress.

Romney was pro-abortion as governor of Massachusetts, but became pro-life when he ran for president in 2008.