Scott Jensen, the Republican candidate for Minnesota governor, has released a campaign ad where he holds a baby while saying he is not against abortion.
"I've delivered 500 babies in my career," Jensen, a physician and former state lawmaker, says in the ad.
"Abortion is divisive, and [Minnesota Governor) Tim Walz is weaponizing the issue. In Minnesota, it's a protected constitutional right, and no governor can change that. And I'm not running to do that."
Jensen goes on to say he's running for governor because "we need safe streets, excellent schools, parental rights and more money in the family budget."
"That's what I'll fight for. Let's focus on the issues that matter," he added.
Tim Hogan, a Democratic consultant, posted the ad on Twitter, where it has amassed more than 34,000 views so far.
"I am officially obsessed with Scott Jensen's train wreck of a campaign for Minnesota Governor," Hogan wrote. "He has nearly no money, and this is the ad he just went up with. It's hard to figure what's even happening here anymore."
I am officially obsessed with Scott Jensen's train wreck of a campaign for Minnesota Governor. He has nearly no money, and this is the ad he just went up with.
It's hard to figure what's even happening here anymore. pic.twitter.com/BeyXebkPmk
Journalist Aaron Rupar tweeted: "Republicans who have previously supported abortion bans are now cutting (in this case totally bizarre) pro-choice ads. Says a lot about the political fallout of SCOTUS overturning Roe."
Another Twitter user Sarcastic Viking wrote: "Politics is basically one endless Saturday Night Live skit."
Jensen's ad comes after the Democrat-aligned Alliance for a Better Minnesota has reportedly spent more than $1 million to run a television ad that quotes Jensen's comments from earlier this year, where he said he would try to ban abortion.
That ad features a number of women who call Jensen's position "extreme."
Jensen responded in a recent interview with WCCO-TV, saying abortion is "not on the ballot" in Minnesota in November.
"Abortion is not on the ballot because it's already a protected constitutional right for all women," Jensen said.
"And that's not going to be overturned and as governor, I'm there to enforce the law, not necessarily pick and choose which ones I want to enforce. So abortion is not on the ballot. We've never said that we would ban all abortions. Abortion as a medical procedure can be life saving."
A Minnesota Supreme Court ruling from 1995 says the state constitution protects abortion rights.
Democrats have made abortion rights a major issue ahead of November's elections after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in late June. Voters in Kansas overwhelmingly voted to preserve abortion rights in the state's constitution in August.
Jensen is trailing Democrat Walz by 18 points, according to a new KSTP/SurveyUSA poll. A May survey had him behind by just five points, and Walz' lead was slimmer in February.
Political analyst Steven Schier said television ads criticizing Jensen's initial position on abortion and education funding have likely played a significant role.
"The results of this current poll are nothing short of stunning," Schier told KSTP-TV. "The Jensen campaign has no money for messaging compared to the Walz campaign and the Walz campaign allies."
Newsweek has contacted the Jensen and Walz campaigns and Alliance for a Better Minnesota for further comment.
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