Politics

NRCC ad in Nevada special attacks Marshall’s economic claims

Alexis Levinson Political Reporter
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The National Republican Congressional Committee is back on the airwaves in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District with an attack ad against Democratic candidate Kate Marshall. The spot highlights the fact that as state treasurer she presided over a terrible economic downturn in Nevada’s economy.

The ad shows video of Marshall saying, “I’ve taken the state through this fiscal crisis, steered it with a steady hand,” which rewinds and replays several times as quotes from business publications about the Nevada economy flash on the screen: “two state credit downgrades;” “Nevada economy worst in the nation;” “97,000 jobs lost;” “Foreclosure rate increase 240%;” “supports keeping Obama’s takeover of healthcare: $500 billion in Medicare cuts.”

“Democrat Kate Marshall: We can’t afford her in congress,” is the last text that appears on the screen, against the backdrop of Marshall standing with President Barack Obama.

This is the fourth ad the NRCC has released attacking the Democratic candidate, who is running against former Republican state Senator Mark Amodei in the special election in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District.

“The only place Kate Marshall steered the Nevada economy is straight off a cliff,” said NRCC spokesman Tyler Q. Houlton of the ad. “While Kate Marshall campaigns on her failed record as the state’s top financial officer, Nevada working families and small businesses suffer from the highest unemployment and home foreclosure rates in America.”

“Just more misleading and false attacks aimed at distracting voters from Mark Amodei’s billion dollar tax increase package,” shot back Marshall’s communications director James Hallinan. “If the NRCC and Amodei actually read the bond reports they would know that Kate Marshall’s work as treasurer kept the state in the AA range, and her fiscal management is listed clearly under ‘credit strengths’ in both reports”

But Amodei’s communications director, Peter DeMarco, says the ad is totally accurate.

“She can’t pick and choose the things that she wants to take credit for,” DeMarco said. “If you’re going to run on your record, then everything is fair game.”

“This race is all about pocketbook issues,” said DeMarco.

The last few ads of the campaign have focused on health care and Medicare, but the return to economic issues is an effective one.

“I think this ad will resonate with voters who are concerned about their jobs and the future of Nevada — which means a significant majority of voters,” said one Nevada-based Republican political consultant.

The economic focus also presages the issues that will be raised Wednesday evening in the first debate of the campaign, in which Marshall, Amodei and two other candidates — independent Helm Lehman and Tim Fasano, of the Independent American Party — will face off.

See the ad here: