Romney Camp Demands Kelli Ward Stop Re-using Its 2008 Ad Bashing McCain

Kelli Ward, now chair of Arizona GOP. (Kevin Baird/Todays News Herald via AP)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

After a bitter primary fight in 2008, Mitt Romney is coming to Arizona Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) defense.

After reports surfaced that McCain primary challenger Kelli Ward was
re-using a 2008 Romney attack ad against McCain as her own, Romney’s
ghost campaign sent a cease and desist letter demanding Ward take down her
Facebook ad immediately.

“Romney for President has not authorized your use of its protected material,” the letter, which was provided to TPM reads. “Your campaign has engaged in blatant infringement of RFP’s protected work and must cease and desist immediately.”

The ad’s identical resemblance to Romney’s 2008 ad was first picked up by the Arizona Republic, which noted that the only thing difference between Ward’s and Romney’s ads was the fact Ward appeared at the end. Ward’s campaign did not dispute the similarities, telling the Arizona Republic that “Mitt Romney got it right.”

“If the shoe fits, wear it. The substance is still the same. Some things never change,” Stephen Sebastian, Ward’s spokesman, told the Arizona Republic.

The ad paints McCain as an ally of Hillary Clinton on everything from a gas tax to “blocking conservative judges.”

See the full letter below:

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: