ATLANTA — Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, made a stop in Georgia on Friday to advocate for the restoration of abortion rights. This follows a report detailing the tragic death of a 28-year-old pregnant woman in the state, whose life was claimed amidst new abortion regulations.

Georgia is a crucial battleground state, having been won by President Joe Biden by a narrow margin in 2020, and could significantly influence the outcome of the 2024 elections. Recently, polls show Harris trailing Donald Trump in Georgia, with an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll indicating Trump leading with 47% to Harris’s 44% among likely voters.

Speaking to around 600 supporters at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Harris highlighted the case of Amber Thurman, whose death two years ago exemplifies the dire consequences of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, thereby removing the constitutional right to abortion.

“We will honor her memory – Amber Nicole Thurman,” Harris declared, sharing Thurman’s aspiration to become a nurse. “She had her life mapped out, but her dreams were cut short.”

The audience echoed her name: “Amber Nicole Thurman.”

According to a report by ProPublica, Thurman visited a hospital in Georgia in 2022 for a standard procedure to remove fetal tissue due to complications from abortion pills. However, the doctors were hesitant to proceed because of the state’s strict abortion laws that allow the procedure only under limited circumstances.

“Amber endured 20 agonizing hours of waiting. Finally, when she was in severe distress, her doctors decided they could treat her – but it was too late. She tragically passed away from sepsis,” Harris recounted.

Harris has been vocal in holding Trump accountable for the reversal of Roe v. Wade, attributing it to his appointments of three Supreme Court justices. She pointed out that this ruling has led 20 states to implement what she refers to as “Trump abortion bans.”

During a livestream rally hosted by Oprah Winfrey the previous night, Harris heard from Shanette Williams, Thurman’s mother, who expressed that her daughter’s death was “preventable.”

“I made a promise to her, as she requested, that Amber will not be just another statistic,” Harris affirmed. “People need to understand she was a beloved mother, daughter, and sister who deserves to be alive today.”

Harris emphasized that this situation was anticipated when the court nullified Roe v. Wade.

“This was avoidable, and we could foresee it,” Harris stated. “For every story of pain resulting from Trump abortion bans that we hear, there are countless others happening each day that go unheard in our nation.”

Contact Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison.