Democratic PAC using ‘loud’ Walsh in ads against colleagues Dold, Biggert
By Natasha Korecki Sun-Times Media October 9, 2012 4:14PM
Three Democratic U.S. congressional candidates, Bill Foster, Brad Schneider and Tammy Duckworth. File photo. | John H. White~Chicago Sun-Times.
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Updated: November 11, 2012 6:18AM
A pro-Democratic group is using video cuts of the “loud,” politically incorrect tea partyer Joe Walsh to turn up the volume against Republicans in three key Chicago-area races.
Walsh’s bluster is the centerpiece of a new spot, which is part of a $2.4 million ad buy attacking the 8th District congressman from McHenry, and two other Republicans who are targeted by Democrats.
“Don’t blame banks! I am tired of hearing that crap!” Walsh is seen imploring on a video of him talking to district residents.
In another clip he’s shown saying: “I want America to pay for my contraceptives. You’re kidding me. Go get a job!”
Clearly viewing Illinois as fertile ground to win over congressional seats, the House Majority PAC, which aims to put Democrats back into the lead in Washington, disclosed Tuesday it had pumped $2.4 million into the three key Chicago-area races — including U.S. House races in the 8th, 10th and 11th congressional districts.
One video titled “Loud” links Walsh to U.S. Reps. Bob Dold of Kennilworth and Judy Biggert of Hinsdale, both of whom are incumbents. While Walsh is a tea partyer through and through, both Dold and Biggert are far more moderate. Still, the ad — which, according to the House Majority PAC, “will run in heavy rotation for two weeks” — works to link the three as equally “out of step” but only plays video snippets of Walsh talking.
Incidentally, the cut of Walsh saying “Go Get a Job” cut off the second part of his quote. The full quote from that day was “Go Get a Job, Sandra Fluke.” Fluke is the woman who testified before Congress about affordable birth control, only to be berated by conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh as a “slut.”
The HousePAC is banking on Walsh being so unpopular in Illinois that he will help sink two other Republican incumbents.
However, Walsh himself is a beneficiary of a huge media buy from a super PAC that poured more than $1.4 million into his race against Democrat Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates.
A We Ask America poll had Walsh at a five-point lead earlier in the race. But the newspaper Roll Call, which covers Congress, reported that a poll taken in mid-August by the Tarrance Group, a national Republican polling firm, showed Walsh and Duckworth in a statistical tie. Democrats have reported far wider margins, including releasing numbers Monday that Duckworth was 10 points ahead.
Two other spots are also in the mix. One targets Biggert directly and another targets Dold.
Both candidates in the 11th District expressed frustration at the negative ads already in circulation.
“Going negative moves numbers,” an upset Biggert said in a Monday interview.
The campaign for her Democratic opponent, Bill Foster of Geneva, held a similar view. The campaign recently rebutted a TV spot that accused him of layoffs and sending jobs overseas and included pointing out that he helped build a Midwest company that provides manufacturing jobs.
The new ad targeting Biggert features someone painting Wite-Out over her head in various photos, saying she has tried hiding that she is Republican.
A portion of the $2.4 million will be used to target Dold in ads to begin running next week aimed at helping Democratic opponent Brad Schneider of Deerfield.
