Portman ad features father of fallen Iraq soldier

Sen. Rob Portman’s campaign launched a new TV ad Thursday touting the Ohio Republican’s commitment to the military and veterans.

{mosads}The minute-long spot, titled “Hero,” features Keith Maupin, the father of a fallen soldier in Iraq. His son, Staff Sgt. Matthew Maupin, was captured in Iraq and died in 2008. The ad started running Thursday statewide and is also online.

Maupin praised Portman, who faces a challenge from former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D), as someone who will continue to care for veterans when they return from their service abroad.

“You send these guys to war, and you need to take care of them when they come back — whatever it takes that you need to do, and I know that Rob Portman cares about the troops and he cared about Matt,” Maupin said in the ad.

“He keeps pushing for what we need to get done for our vets, and I don’t know anybody else that could do a better job than Rob Portman.”

Portman, whose state was carried by President Obama in 2008 and 2012, is in a strong reelection position.

The GOP senator has consistently led Strickland in polls over the last several month and in many surveys by double digits, and he has even scooped up a number of labor union endorsements who backed the former Democratic governor in his previous elections.

This has prompted some Democratic groups, including the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and Senate Majority PAC, to cancel some ads in the Buckeye State and shift resources to other critical Senate races.

The two debate on Oct. 14.

Democrats and Republicans are in a fierce battle over next year’s Senate majority.

Democrats need to net five seats to gain a 51-seat majority in the upper chamber. They are defending 10 seats, while Republicans need to defend 24 seats.