TPMDC

Melancon Turns Vitter Prostitutution Reenactment Video Into Two-Minute TV Ad (VIDEO)

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) hearing testimony from oil executives.

This summer, Louisiana Dems hinted that their fall strategy to defeat Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) would be to vividly remind voters of Vitter’s prostitute-laden scandal sheet. They unveiled a five-minute web ad that included a reenactment and a recreation of the “crime scene” where Vitter and a prostitute liaised.

Now, his challenger, Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA), has turned that web ad into a two-minute long TV spot, which will run on Louisiana cable statewide starting tonight or tomorrow.

The web-ad went viral on YouTube, and its successor contains much of the same footage that made Internet version so compelling. Melancon has lagged about 10 points behind Vitter for most of the campaign, but polls show that many Louisiana voters remain unaware of Vitter’s previous scandals. In the final stretch of the campaign, Dems are hoping to change that.

Watch:

2010 elections, Charlie Melancon, David Vitter, LA-SEN, Senate '10
Brian Beutler

Brian Beutler is TPM's senior congressional reporter. Since 2009, he's led coverage of health care reform, Wall Street reform, taxes, the GOP budget, the government shutdown fight, and the debt limit fight. He can be reached at brian@talkingpointsmemo.com.

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