The Louisiana ad war between Rep. Charlie Melancon (D) and Sen. David Vitter (R) continues today with a new volley from Melancon — and it’s a doozy. Earlier this week, Melancon accused Vitter of not being “honest” with Louisiana; Vitter responded with an ad linking Melancon to “millionaires [and] illegals.” So Melancon broke out the big guns, and linked Vitter’s prostitution scandal, his abusive staff member and his legislative record in a new ad.
In the ad, which features scenes from the press conference where Vitter and his wife talked about the “serious sins” he committed, the female narrator ties Vitter’s extramarital dalliances with prostitutes and his women’s issues staffer with a history of domestic violent to some of Vitter’s votes on women’s issues.
We know how David Vitter handled his ‘serious sin.’ And when David Vitter’s staffer violently abused his girlfriend, Senator Vitter let him keep his job — working on women’s issues. David Vitter on women: he voted against equal pay for equal work; against coverage for mammograms; even against protections for women raped on the job. David Vitter: for women, his ‘serious sin’ isn’t even his worst.
Ouch. And unlike Vitter’s ad yesterday that says Melancon “voted to use your money for bailouts for Wall Street millionaires… [and] for benefits for illegals,” Melancon’s ad lists the actual times Vitter voted against the bills the ad said he did — including times Vitter voted against mammogram coverage as a state legislator.
Melancon’s campaign confirmed that the ad is running in various television markets throughout Louisiana. Louisiana sources confirmed that the ad will run in both broadcast and cable markets in the state — although, like both campaigns’ earlier ads, not in Baton Rouge or New Orleans — as part of the launch of a new website aimed at reminding voters of Vitter’s personal and professional record on women’s issues.
Watch the ad below:
