The Karl Rove-backed American Crossroads super PAC rolled out a new television ad Wednesday in the Iowa Senate race that cast Rep. Bruce Braley as out of touch with voters.
The ad accuses Mr. Braley, a Democrat running against Republican state Sen. Joni Ernst, of focusing more on raising money than on doing his job as a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee.
“Braley has also found time to vote for cap and trade legislation that could have cost Iowa jobs, and driven up our election bills,” the narrator says in the ad. “And Braley made time to vote for Obamacare.”
The ad cites a July report in the Des Moines Register that said Mr. Braley missed 75 percent of the meetings for a committee that provides oversight over the Veterans Administration.
At the time, Mr. Braley’s campaign spokesman told the Register that the Democrat missed the Veterans Affairs Committee meetings because there “were conflicting hearings, classified briefings, or other responsibilities that drew Bruce away.”
The American Crossroads ad, though, comes to a different conclusion.
“Bruce Braley,” the narrator says. “Working for Iowa just isn’t on his schedule.”
Mr. Braley, the son of a Marine veteran, holds a slight edge over Mrs. Ernst in their battle to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin, according to the latest Real Clear Politics average of polls.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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