Americans for Prosperity has dropped a million dollars on a new ad attacking Democratic Sen. Mark Begich’s work ethic, following Dan Sullivan’s GOP primary win in Alaska last week. (RELATED: GOP Favorite Dan Sullivan Wins Alaska Primary)
In the 60 second spot, titled “Alaskans Show Up for Work,” Steve Perrins — who runs the family owned and operated Rainy Pass Lodge outside of Anchorage — talks about the “Alaskan value system” of hard work and initiative, and calls out Begich for failing to show up for votes in congress.
“I have to do my job to keep things going here if I’m going to survive,” Perrins says in the ad. “We’ve got to cut firewood or else it’s hauling in diesel on an airplane. We’ve got 17 horses. If we don’t feed them, they don’t survive. I mean that’s the work ethic that Alaskans expect and I think Alaskans are a little bit ticked off that our senator Mark Begich is not showing up for his job.”
“Last year Mark Begich missed more votes than 80 percent of all other U.S. senators. Eighty percent of them,” he continues. “Why can’t Mark Begich show up to vote when it’s time to vote? They don’t vote every day. They vote when something comes up in front of them, and he needs to be there to represent Alaska.”
The ad will run for the next few weeks on broadcast and cable television across the state, including Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks. (RELATED: Nervous? Dems Spend Big Following Sullivan’s Primary Win)
“When it comes to critical issues facing Alaskans, Mark Begich seems to have more important things to do than fight for them in the United States Senate,” AFP President Tim Phillips said in a statement. “Missed votes means the voices of Alaskans are marginalized and unheard.”
AFP is a political advocacy group founded by Charles and David Koch. (RELATED: Charles Koch Accepts The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge)
WATCH: