A new arm of the conservative group Club for Growth has rolled out a $1.5 million television ad campaign today, with spots targeting “the liberal, out-of-touch” records of five Democratic Senate candidates. Let’s take a look.
First up — Nevada. The TPM Poll Average shows Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid leading Republican Sharron Angle 47.3%-44.7%. Club for Growth’s ad suggests that Angle “understands what Nevada is going through.” While she lives in her “middle class Nevada house”, Reid is living in the “million-dollar Ritz Carlton in Washington.”
Next up: “career politician Charlie Crist.” Easily the most dramatic of the ads, the independent candidate is lambasted for his many policy flip-flops. The TPM Poll Average finds the independent trailing 39.1%-30.6% to Republican Marco Rubio in Florida’s Senate race, with Democrat Kendrick Meek at 21.2%.
On incumbent Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado: “After only 18 months in Washington, he acts like he’s been there forever.” The ad closes by declaring, “Michael Bennet: he’s already been in Washington too long”. The TPM Poll Average finds him trailing Republican nominee Ken Buck in the Senate contest, 46.6%-43.3%.
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) is also targeted. The TPM Poll Average shows him behind Republican nominee and businessman Ron Johnson 48.8%-46.9%.
Last, and seemingly not least, is Joe Sestak. This spot, given the unique title of “Navy” (the other four ads are entitled, “Enough”), starts off with a… compliment?. “Yes, Joe Sestak served honorably in the Navy,” reads the narrator. However: “His service in Congress is the problem.” The TPM Poll Average shows Republican Senate nominee and former Rep. Pat Toomey (not to mention former president of the Club for Growth) leading 47.3%-40.3%.
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