Democrat attack ads target 25 GOP House incumbents

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Democrats are launching (11/7) biting mudslinging radio ads in the districts of 25 House Republicans, claiming they’re are beholden to special interests and have questionable ethics. The ads, which will run in 15 different states, use specific items from the records of each House member. In many, incidents from past careers in business are brought up.


The ads, produced and paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), were released to coincide with the one-year point to the 2012 election.

The radio spots focus on Republicans the DCCC sees as vulnerable in next year’s election, and are part of the “Drive for 25” effort, which will also incorporate phone calls to voters, internet advertising, and automated telephone calls.

Democrats would need to pick up 25 House seats currently held by Republicans to regain the majority of the House in 2012. Republicans currently hold a 242-193 majority in the House.

In a statement, DCCC Chairman Rep. Steve Israel said the 25 Republicans his group has singled out are vulnerable because of their ties to special interests: “With one year to go until the election, the House Republicans’ majority is in peril as it gets freezing cold back at home and Republicans face a chilly response to defending the indefensible. House Republicans will be forced to defend protecting Big Oil and the ultra wealthy instead of protecting Medicare and creating jobs and defend their big ethics scandals too.”

While several of the radio ads target Republicans over tax loopholes for oil companies and votes for Social Security and Medicare, others are geared toward some facing investigations and scandals. The ad against Rep. Vern Buchanan, (R-FL), brings up federal investigations into his former car dealership, and the radio spot against freshman Rep. David Rivera, (R-FL), talks about the looming criminal investigation into his personal and campaign spending. An ad against freshman Rep. Reid Ribble, (R-WI), says his “company was fined three times for being unsafe.”

“Congressman Crawford is making sure that big oil companies keep their giant tax loopholes and the most wealthy keep their tax cuts – and hasn’t done anything to create more jobs or help the middle class,” CNN reports the ad as saying. “Congressman Crawford is listening to his special interest friends instead of fighting for us. That’s just not right.”

The other targeted incumbents:
Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif., Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif., Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Colo., Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla., Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Ill, Rep. Bobby Schilling, R-Ill., Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-Ind., Rep. Roscoe Bartlett R-Md., Rep. Dan Benishek, R-Mich., Rep. Charlie Bass, R-N.H., Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-N.Y., Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., Rep. Quico Canseco, Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., and Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va.