In New Ad, Romney Stresses Moderate Positions on Reproductive Issues

Mitt Romney's campaign, in an effort to appeal to women who hold more moderate views on reproductive issues, is releasing a new commercial that highlights his support for contraception and abortion in limited circumstances.

“You know, those ads say Mitt Romney would ban all abortions and contraception seemed a bit extreme, so I looked into it,” says a woman identified as Sarah Minto, who is shown on camera searching on Google for “Romney on abortion.”

Ms. Minto adds: “It turns out Romney doesn't oppose contraception at all. In fact, he thinks abortion should be an option in cases of rape, incest or to save a mother's life.”

The ad is Mr. Romney's most aggressive attempt to rebut attempts by the Obama campaign to paint him as extreme on women's rights.

Mr. Romney has long strug gled with women. All year polls have shown President Obama with a sizeable advantage. But as the race tightens in the final three weeks before the election â€" and one major poll showing this week that the Republican nominee is significantly narrowing the gender gap â€" the Romney campaign is moving dramatically to showcase its more moderate positions.

This strategy is not without risk. Many socially conservative Republicans have long been wary of Mr. Romney, who as a candidate for United States Senate said that abortion should be “safe and legal” and touted his pro-gay rights positions.

Reproductive rights have continued to bedevil Mr. Romney over the course of this election. Just last week he raised eyebrows when he denied to the editorial board of The Des Moines Register that he would pursue anti-abortion legislation. “There's no legislation with regards to abortion that I'm familiar with that would become part of my agenda,” he said.

Mr. Romn ey's advisers have long said that they believed the election would turn on the economy, and that is where Ms. Minto ends her statement in the ad.

“I'm more concerned about the debt our children will be left with,” she says as she looks into the camera. “I voted for President Obama last time. We just can't afford 4 more years.”

Follow Jeremy W. Peters on Twitter at @ jwpetersNYT .