Newsom launches abortion ad accusing conservatives of holding women hostage

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - With a week away from Super Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom is launching abortion ads in the red states.

One ad launched Sunday on "Meet the Press." 

In it, Newsom accuses conservative leaders of holding women hostage by imposing travel bans and preventing women from seeking reproductive care out of state.

The ad will first air in Tennessee, where there’s currently a proposal to charge adults with a felony if they help pregnant minors get an abortion out of state without their parents’ permission. It will then air in other states trying to pass similar legislation.

Newsom spoke about the ad on "Meet the Press," calling the strict anti-abortion laws a "war on women."

"These guys are not just restricting the rights of self-determination to bear a child for a young woman," he said. "But they’re also determining their future by saying that they can’t even travel. These travel restrictions, modeled after a version that passed in Idaho, are now being proposed in Tennessee, Oklahoma and Mississippi. The AG himself of Alabama wants to criminalize travel, not just for children, but for adults seeking reproductive care. That’s how serious this moment is."

The ad directs viewers to righttotravel.org. 

This ad campaign is being funded by a political action committee that Newsom launched last spring.

Newsom was also asked about the presidential election and his confidence in President Biden winning a second term. Newsom said he's doing everything he needs to do. 

When pushed about whether he was ruling out a run in 2024, he said he's supporting Biden.