There are a lot of political ads out there and yes, I know that is an understatement. But with all of them out there, you find that a lot of them with photo-shopped images of candidates in an attempt to make them look goofy or somehow criminal.
Well in all that mess, there is still nothing that breaks through the clutter than having a real person tell their story. It will always make the biggest impact on voters and here is one to watch:
The DCCC has named Democratic contender Jim Harlan to their Red to Blue list with 21 days left in the election!
The DCCC Chairman, Rep. Van Hollen, (D-MD) had this to say about Jim's campaign:
"Jim Harlan is running a powerful campaign and is committed to fighting for the critical needs of the people in his district such as hurricane protection and better energy policies. With less than 21 days to make his case for change to voters, the Red to Blue program will give Jim Harlan the financial and structural edge to be even more competitive in November."
Folks ... if you live in LA-01, this is it. Less than 21 days before the election. If you wanna party hearty the night of November 4th, then you've got to leave it all on the field. That means, if you've got some spare change, donate! If you've got some time to spare, volunteer!
Talk to your neighbors. Talk to your friends. Talk to your co-workers. Tell them that this is literally the best chance y'all have in LA-01 to elect a Representative that will fight for y'all, rather than use it to springboard to another elective office.
The Kennedy For Whatever folks are a'rocking and a'rolling ... releasing this ad highlighting how Republican Senatorial candidate John Kennedy lost FOUR million dollars of Louisiana taxpayers' money:
The DCCC released an ad highlighting that Republican Congressional candidate Bill Cassidy (LA-06) believes in putting our Social Security into the troubled stock market ...
As we head into the final stretch of the cycle, the DCCC announces its fifth round of candidates who have earned a spot in the highly competitive Red to Blue program; the next round of Emerging Races; and, the first round of Races to Watch.
NEWEST EMERGING RACES
(IA-04) Becky Greenwald
(IL-13) Scott Harper (LA-01) Jim Harlan
(SC-01) Linda Ketner
(TX-10) Larry Joe Doherty
This comes on the heels of the latest Harlan ad, and taken together, it shows the voters of LA-01 that we have a Democrat that will be able to go tit-for-tat on the air this campaign cycle in LA-01.
On an unrelated note, but certainly noteworthy, this brings the number of Louisiana Congressional races the DCCC is taking an active interest in to 4:
The Red To Blue list is a fundraising mechanism for the DCCC. To end up on that list, a candidate has to surpass demanding fundraising goals and skillfully demonstrate to voters that they stand for change and will represent new priorities when elected to Congress.
[UPDATE]: Edited to indicate which groups are Republican Party operatives. Also added Cazayoux press release.
Well, we've seen some race-baiting and outright lies by Republican Party operatives - NRCC and Freedoms Watch - over the last two days. I guess they thought that since Don is a Democrat, he would shrivel up into the fetal position, and whine. Think again. It's not 2004 any more ... it's 2008. Democrats today stand up and fight what we all know is right:
Help keep this ad on the air right up until Election Day (May 3rd) by donating here.
The Cazayoux campaign just put out a press release highlighting the ethical lapses of two more folks that are airing negative attack ads against Don (emphasis mine):
Wealthy construction company owner Lane Grigsby also released an ad this week, attacking Cazayoux. Like Republican Woody Jenkins, Grigsby has a background of ethical compliants, including allegedly colluding with a candidate to make an attack ad that "viciously and personally attacked" the candidate's opponent and hiding his company's interest in state contracts to build hurricane shelters.
One more outside interest group, the Club for Growth, began airing ads today lying about Cazayoux's record of middle class tax relief. The Club for Growth is one of the largest and most well known groups advocating extreme and radical tax policies; in 2006, spent $7.4 million to defeat candidates that stand up for middle class tax relief. In October 2007, the Ohio Ethics Commission rebuked the Club for making false statements about one of their targets and in January of 2008 the Club was hit with an FEC complaint for illegally coordinating with a campaign.
Brandon over at the DCCC's blog - The Stakeholder - informed us that the DCCC filed a complaint with the FEC against the NRCC and Freedoms Watch, alleging that they colluded on the ads I showed y'all here.
Here's the text of the press release announcing the complaint:
The DCCC filed a complaint today with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Freedom's Watch and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). Freedom's Watch, a shadowy outside group, and the NRCC illegally coordinated their political attack ads against Democratic candidate Don Cazayoux (LA-06).
The Freedom's Watch and the NRCC's television ads are stunningly similar. A little digging revealed why -- electronic identifiers show that the NRCC wrote the Freedom's Watch ad.
"The DCCC is filing this FEC complaint to hold Freedom's Watch and the NRCC accountable for their illegal coordination that is being used to mislead voters about Democratic candidates' positions," said Brian Wolff, Executive Director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "Tom Cole may have gotten his wish when Freedom's Watch came to the NRCC's rescue, but breaking the law will be the NRCC's worst nightmare. Freedom's Watch own Word document clearly shows that the script for their ad came from the NRCC -- that's clearly illegal."
Freedom's Watch is operating as the cash-strapped NRCC's de facto independent expenditure campaign:
* The script that Freedom's Watch provided television stations running their ads included electronic identifiers indicating that the NRCC created the Word document.
* The NRCC's ad buy in LA-06 ended the day the nearly identical Freedom's Watch ad began airing. The NRCC ad ran from 4/10/08 through 4/16/08. The Freedom's Watch ad began airing as the NRCC went dark -- 4/16/08 and is scheduled to run through the special election on 5/03/08.
* The message, images, and citations in both the Freedom's Watch ad and NRCC ad are nearly identical. See for yourself -- click here to see images of the ads side by side.
* Freedom's Watch is being run by Carl Forti, a longtime NRCC veteran who was responsible for the NRCC's independent expenditure campaigns and communications for nearly a decade. [Washington Post, 3/30/08] This is the same Forti who's responsible for attacks that led Republican Members and Republican candidates to call the NRCC "a rogue attack shop," responsible for "smears," "over-the-top accusations," "demonstrably false" and "misleading" attacks and "political mudslinging." [Boston Globe, 3/04/07]
* For the first time in memory, NRCC Chairman Tom Cole welcomed the participation of Freedom's Watch and other outside groups like it in House campaigns, saying "We hope we see them in political races all across the board." [Washington Post, 3/30/08]
What do y'all think about all this? I can tell you that I'm glad that the DCCC isn't taking this one lightly, and coming out swinging on it. Bout time we showed folks in this part of the country that Democrats are willing to fight.
The text of the complaint itself is below the jump.
The DCCC has dropped an Independent Expenditure BOMB to the tune of $110,000 here in LA-06:
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
Great American Media
Purpose of Expenditure: Media Buy
Name of Federal Candidate supported or opposed by expenditure: Louis (Woody) Jenkins
Office Sought: House of Representatives
State is Louisiana in District 06
Amount Expended = $92177.00
Allan B Crow &Associates, Inc.
Purpose of Expenditure: Media Production
Name of Federal Candidate supported or opposed by expenditure: Louis (Woody) Jenkins
Amount Expended = $6842.11
Mission Control, Inc.
Purpose of Expenditure: Literature
Name of Federal Candidate supported or opposed by expenditure: Donald J. Cazayoux
Amount Expended = $5750.00
Mission Control, Inc.
Purpose of Expenditure: Literature
Name of Federal Candidate supported or opposed by expenditure: Louis (Woody) Jenkins
I just read an email from the DCCC that they are running ads against Rep. Richard Baker for his continued votes against Louisiana's uninsured children.
Here's the text of the radio ad:
Congressman Richard Baker – you receive quality health insurance provided at taxpayers' expense, so why do you continue to vote against providing quality affordable health care to Louisiana's children?
With the State Children's Health Insurance Program – SCHIP – set to expire, you have a simple choice to make:
Continue to stand with President Bush or with Louisiana's kids.
SCHIP legislation will provide health care coverage for nearly 10 million children, including over 100,000 children here in Louisiana, and is funded by a 61 cent increase in the tobacco tax.
Yet President Bush has vetoed it and you stand with him – instead of kids.
Congress has revised the bill to override Bush's veto. When will you stop moving the bar and supporting the president – and start siding with Louisiana's children?
Congressman Baker – stand with kids, NOT George Bush.
Paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, www.DCCC.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) announced yesterday that the DCCC will be targeting Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA) for his vote against the Children's health insurance program, SCHIP, which provides health insurance for 91,000 in Louisiana. The bill passed the House largely along party lines, 225-204. Democratic Representatives Melancon and Jefferson both voted for the bill.
In contrast, all of the Republican Members of Louisiana's delegation in the House, Reps. Alexander, Baker, Boustany, Jindal, and McCrery voted against a bill that would help insure 91,000 of Louisiana's children.
While the DCCC is only targeting Rep. Baker with these phone calls, it could be aimed at any one of the Republican Members ... keep on reading for the call script.
