Iowa Democrat Patty Judge released her first general election television ads against Sen. Chuck Grassley Tuesday, showing a pointed and funny side that could very well ease Iowans into the idea of finally booting the incumbent. In an emailed press release, Judge says:
"He isn't the same Chuck Grassley that Iowans used to vote for. […] Instead of working in the best interest of Iowa, Chuck Grassley focuses on partisanship and politics. As a farmer, a nurse, and a public servant, I've always known that Iowa is strongest when we work together to get things done. That's exactly what Iowans can count on me to do in the U.S. Senate."
The first ad, "Questions," features Iowans asking "Checked Out Chuck"—a cardboard cutout of Grassley—about his leading the obstruction of President Obama's judicial nominees, his support for defunding Planned Parenthood, and his advocacy for the privatization of Medicare. The second ad, "Plenty," is more of a biographical ad for Judge, in which she talks about how she's worked with Grassley in the past, but can't anymore because he's gone partisan.
The best line in the ads is at the end of the second, as Judge is carrying the cardboard Grassley into her garage and says off-camera "the problem is, his feet drag." The ads are intended to point up the fact that Grassley has been largely absent in this campaign, "duck[ing] public appearances, including the State Fair Soapbox, debates, and tough questions from real Iowans." The black-and-white cutout is as close as they're going to get to him, the campaign says.
It's a smart approach to undercutting Grassley's bipartisan appeal in the state, where some ticket-splitting Democrats have been happy to vote for him. The ads aren't mean enough about Grassley to turn people off, but make their point with humor, which is always a good way for a challenger to start a political dialogue with voters. You can see the ads below the fold.
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