Pennsylvania Senate hopeful Pat Toomey (R) is on the air with his first television ads introducing himself to voters and – surprise! – framing his rival as “really liberal.” In the ads Toomey criticizes Rep. Joe Sestak (D) for voting for the $787 billion stimulus, a cap-and-trade system and health care reform.
“Joe Sestak voted for government-run health care,” one ad blares. “But he went much further. Sestak voted to permit banning all private health insurance That’s really liberal.”
The TPM Poll Average of this race has the candidates nearly tied, with Toomey holding a slight 41.9 lead over Sestak’s 41.2. Sestak effectively unseated Sen. Arlen Specter by clobbering the Republican-turned-Democrat in the May Democratic primary.
One biographical spot also stars Toomey’s 9-year-old daughter Bridget. The five new ads will run statewide indefinitely, the campaign announced. They all attempt to portray Toomey as a fiscal steward backed by conservative organizations.
In this one, Toomey plays Sestak saying he “would have voted for $1 trillion” in stimulus dollars:
$1 Trillion from Pat Toomey on Vimeo.
Here’s the health care ad:
Health Insurance from Pat Toomey on Vimeo.