Tim Walz mentioned Hadley Duvall of Kentucky in exchange about abortion rights. Who is she?
As Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance sparred over dozens of issues Tuesday night during the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate, they invoked a familiar name in Kentucky politics: Hadley Duvall.
The topic came up as the vice presidential nominees discussed women's reproductive health issues.
"If you don't know an 'Amanda' or a 'Hadley,' you will," Walz said, calling what happened to both women, "horrific."
Who is Hadley Duvall?
Hadley Duvall is a women's reproductive rights activist from Owensboro, Kentucky. The 22-year-old Duvall was featured in a campaign ad for Kamala Harris, in which she blamed Donald Trump for the loss of federal abortion protections.
During the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Duvall stumped for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a feat she performed in November during Beshear's reelection campaign. She also appeared in a campaign ad for President Joe Biden during his now-defunct presidential campaign.
Why is Hadley Duvall part of the abortion debate?
Duvall is a victim of childhood sexual abuse and discovered she was pregnant after her stepfather raped her at age 12. Pregnant as a 7th grader, Duvall said she felt "completely alone in the world" after leaving middle school early to take a pregnancy test, "flipping it over on the bathroom counter, too scared to look."
Hadley Duvall mentioned during the VP Debate
Abortion ad videos featuring Hadley Duvall
The VP Debate: Mountain Dew advertised its diet soda during VP debate. Why it's part of the conversation
Midwest Connect trending reporter Chris Sims and Louisville Courier Journal reporter Leo Bertucci contributed to this article.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at JTuftsReports.