Dems outline ads targeting Shadegg, GOPers

U.S. Rep. John ShadeggWASHINGTON -- Tied to the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching radio advertisements against U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix), taking aim at the congressman for his “present” vote on an Iraq War funding bill last week.

“Republicans in Congress have always promised to fund our troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. But, when it came time to cast a vote to do so, Congressman John Shadegg did not,” an announcer in the ad says. “Our troops can’t choose whether or not to do their jobs. John Shadegg can. Yet, when he was supposed to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, Shadegg chose not to stand up for our troops and instead, did nothing. Our troops stand up for us. They need Congressman Shadegg to stand up for them.”

“Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have said one thing and done another,” U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the chair of the DCCC, said on a conference call with reporters today. “We are going to be making sure their constituents know how they voted on this very important piece of legislation.”

The ads, which will begin airing in Shadegg’s Phoenix-area district this weekend, are part of a broader offensive against House Republican incumbents who last Thursday registered “present” votes in a successful effort to prevent the $163 billion bill from moving forward.

Sean Noble, a spokesman for Shadegg, noted that the ads are also targeting House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and GOP Conference Chair Adam Putnam (R-Fla.), and suggested that Democrats were going after Republicans based on seniority, not vulnerability in this year’s elections.

Shadegg, a seven term congressman, is facing off against Democrat Bob Lord in November.