Senate Candidates Addressing Veterans' Issues in TV Ads

By Sean Sullivan  //  May 3, 2012 | 12:09 p.m.

Nevada Rep. Shelley Berkley's Senate campaign is up with her first television ad, a 60-second commercial about her role in the passage of a measure aimed at improving substance abuse treatment at VA hospitals. Berkley's focus on the military is part of a larger trend of Senate candidates running TV ads about the country's armed forces this cycle.

The Democrat's ad, which is running in the Reno market -- far away from the Las Vegas area which she represents -- features Tony Bailey, the father of Justin Bailey, an Iraq war veteran who suffered from PTSD and died of a prescription drug overdose. Berkley helped usher an act towards passage which strengthens substance abuse treatment at VA facilities. She suggested the act be named for Justin Bailey.

"Shelley Berkley listened to our story and she sponsored a bill to improve the mental health in all veterans' facilities across the country," Tony Bailey says in the spot.

Berkley's opening ad makes sense during a week in which the military and national security are back on the minds of many voters as the country reflects on the year that has passed since the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Berkley's far from the only Senate candidate tackling the subject. Earlier this week, former New Mexico Republican Rep. Heather Wilson launched her first TV spot. The subject: Her third-generation Air Force background. Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, who is an Iraq War veteran, released a new ad on Monday featuring Marines who served with him. Mandel's military background is a major part of his campaign pitch. Even before bin Laden and the war in Afghanistan were back on the front pages of newspapers and leading evening newscasts once again, other Senate candidates and outside groups were also running ads about the military. In early April, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., launched a round of ads touting his record on veterans' issues. In March, the group VoteVets.org went up with a spot supporting Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in Missouri.

Read & Post Comments
Leave A Comment
The National Journal Group has the right (but not the obligation) to monitor the comments and to remove any materials it deems inappropriate.
Comments powered by Disqus
Follow National Journal
About

Staff


Reid Wilson, Editor-in-Chief
Steve Shepard, Executive Editor
Julie Sobel, Editor
Kevin Brennan, Deputy Editor


Disclaimer


On Call editors reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments. The Hotline, National Journal Group, Inc. and Atlantic Media Company are not responsible for the content of the comments that remain.