Third Congressional District Republican Jon Runyan went up on CNN and Fox television today with a 30-second ad targeting Ocean County. The ad slams U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) as a career politician who “doubled state debt” during his Trenton years, and voted with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “90% of the time” over the course of his first term in Washington, D.C.
In Washington, D.C., where Adler is serving his first term in office, “he voted with (Speaker) Nancy Pelosi 90% of the time,” the voice-over in the ad says.
“We’re buying week to week,” said Runyan campaign consultant Chris Russell. “I don’t anticipate us taking our foot off the gas pedal. We’re not buying in Philadelphia early because Jon (a former Eagles football star) is known in Philadelphia.”
The Adler campaign was underwhelmed.
“Instead of introducing himself to South Jersey and Shore-area families, Jon Runyan chose to resort to a desperate negative advertisement to try to make up for his double digit deficit in the polls,” said the congressman’s campaign manager. “The truth is Jon Runyan placed four donkeys on his massive property to save $20,000 a year in taxes and then missed paying his taxes 33 times. He refuses to host public events and take questions from local families, seniors, veterans and small businesses. Jon Runyan has made it clear, his priorities are to protect his own personal wealth and the Big Banks that hold large sums of his money.”
Russell said he knows the Adler campaign is going to try to spin the ad as negative desperation emanating early from Runyan, but Russell said he’s too familiar with Adler’s go-for-the-jugular politics in past elections to take the criticism seriously.
The TV ad closes with severall seconds of positive footage, featuring Runyan speaking amiably with supporters in contrast to the furrowed brow static shot of Adler.
“Jon Runyan,” says the voice-over, “fighting for Ocean County with an 8-point tax cut plan to get our economy moving again.”
But Democrats backing Adler said the ad buy amounting to 100 spots hardly demonstrates a show of Runyan force.
The two candidates are scheduled to appear on comcast Philadelphia on August 26th, next Thursday, where they will spar face-to-face for the second time.
