The Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, a right-wing business front group in Wisconsin, is running television ads in the 18th State Senate District of Wisconsin opposing Democratic incumbent Jessica King in her attempt to win a full four-year term in the Wisconsin State Senate.
The ad, which features Milwaukee Building and Construction Council president Lyle Balistreri, features Balistreri's face juxtaposed with a picture of King, her phone number, and the words, "Tell her to stop playing politics with our jobs."
Believe it or not, Lyle Balistereri is actually a supporter of Jessica King's campaign, and, naturally, Balistereri is absolutely livid that the WMC took him out of context. In my opinion, he has every right to be livid.
Jess King responded to the WMC's attack ad on her campaign's Facebook page:
"They’re taking him out of context. They’re lying about my record. I cosponsored the bipartisan mining bill that I felt still respected our conservation principles as a state."
An interesting side story to this is that Lori Compas, the executive director of the Wisconsin Business Alliance, a progressive business organization Compas recently founded to counter the undue influence that the WMC has in Wisconsin politics, has volunteered for Jess King's campaign. I firmly believe that the WMC is more scared of Lori Compas and the WBA than they are of Jess King. It's quite clear that the WMC is running an anti-King ad in apparent retaliation for Compas volunteering for King's campaign.
I had a feeling that the campaign in the 18th State Senate District in Wisconsin would get nasty as the election drew closer, and it sure has. By the way, King's Republican opponent is Rick Gudex.
Here's Jessica King's campaign website and ActBlue page!