Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is using a new TV ad to argue that he’s still an outsider in Washington as he faces a tough reelection challenge from former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold.
Johnson notes in the ad that he’s the only manufacturer currently in the Senate and there are “still way too many career politicians.”
{mosads}”Now Sen. Feingold wants to add another one: himself,” Johnson says in the TV and digital ad. “Fixing this broken system will take the perspective of someone who’s actually solved problems.”
The ad, which is being released statewide on Tuesday, is a throwback to Johnson’s 2010 “57” ad from when he originally ran in 2010, when he touted his business experience and noted that Feingold was one of 57 lawyers in the Senate.
The buy is part of a larger multimillion-dollar ad plan ahead of the November election.
Michael Tyler, Feingold’s campaign spokesman, hit back at the spot, saying, “Recycling an old campaign ad can’t hide the fact that Sen. Johnson has spent his career in Washington protecting a system that benefits powerful corporations and multi-millionaires like himself.
“Sen. Johnson can lecture the people of this state in TV ads all he wants, but Russ is the only candidate is actually listening to and fighting for Wisconsin’s middle class and working families,” he said.
Johnson’s campaign has repeatedly hit Feingold over his ties to Washington, arguing that he’s willing to flip on issues like campaign spending as part of an effort to “plot his way back to Washington.”
Though Feingold is currently leading Johnson by an average of nearly 10 percentage points, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polling, a Marquette University poll released last week found the race tightening and Feingold leading by 4 points. A separate poll, also released Wednesday, had Feingold leading by 13 points.
Democrats view Wisconsin as a prime pickup opportunity as they fight to reclaim the Senate majority. With Republicans defending 24 Senate seats — including a handful in purple states — Democrats need to net five seats, or four if they retain the White House, to reclaim the upper chamber.
— This report was updated at 11:26 a.m.