RGA Releases New Ad Hitting Inslee

By Sarah Mimms  //  September 18, 2012 | 4:12 p.m.

The Republican Governors Association on Tuesday released a second ad in Washington state hitting former Democratic Rep. Jay Inslee on his voting record, claiming that he has hurt small businesses and "makes the wrong call every time."

The ad criticizes Inslee for his support of President Obama's health care law and the $800 billion stimulus package. Like the group's previous anti-Inslee spot, the new ad avoids mentioning Obama or either program by name, instead referring to them as "the mother of all taxes on small business" and "a spending bill," respectively.

The two ads are virtually identical in theme and tone, but there is one key difference. Unlike the group's first Washington ad which featured an off-screen female narrator, the new spot, entitled "Go Figure," features five older men discussing the economy over breakfast, presumably at one of the small businesses they claim are being hurt by Inslee's policies.

The choice, though it personalizes the message, doesn't seem to target the voters Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna needs: McKenna held a 15-point edge with male voters in the most recent Elway Poll, which was conducted last week, but trailed Inslee by 19 points among women. The only women in the new ad are in the background or serving coffee.

The RGA said that the ad was part of a "major, statewide buy," but declined to detail the size or duration of the buy. The group has reserved more than $2 million in air time through November to help propel McKenna into office and has given $5.2 million to a PAC supporting him. Meanwhile, the pro-Inslee PAC Our Washington, which is partially funded by the Democratic Governors Association and local and national unions, has reserved $4.96 million. The Elway Poll released on Friday showed a tight race with Inslee leading McKenna, 44 percent to 41 percent.

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