DGA to Run Ehrlich Attack Ads

from The Baltimore Sun

The television commercials continue coming -- with the Democratic Governors Association today unveiling an ad attacking Republican Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.'s record as governor. The outpourings show that the national Dems feel they need to spend money to defend a seat.

The announcement about new ads comes 24 hours after the Republican Governors Association bought time in Maryland to attack Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley. Both Ehrlich and O'Malley have also started airing new, positive commercials in the past several days and appear to be leaving the negative television to the national parties -- at least for now.

DGA political director Raymond Glendening pledged that his organization will "spend the money that needs to be spent" to ensure O'Malley is re-elected. Glendening, whose father Parris was governor immediately before Ehrlich, said the organization has long planned to put funds behind O'Malley and will also invest in about a dozen other close races.

He said that about half of the 37 gubernatorial contests this year are competitive, but the party will also likely put up fights in Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin and Massachusetts among others.

The DGA, headed by Delaware Gov. Jack Markell (O'Malley is the vice chair), raised $22 million as of July. They plan to spend $50 million this cycle, according to a spokeswoman.

The ad will play in Baltimore and DC markets and picks at Ehrlich's record saying that he was beholden to corporate interests when governor. (See the script after the jump.)


The ad says:

Four 
years 
ago, 
Bob 
Ehrlich 
got 
fired 
as 
Governor
 of
 Maryland. 

For
 good
 reason.
First, 
he 
protected 
tax 
loopholes 
for 
giant 
cable 
companies...
 

Then,
 he
 let 
utilities 
jack 
up 
our 
rates 
72%.

And
 for 
the 
last 
four 
years, 
he 
worked 
as 
a 
hired 
gun 
for 
big
 corporations, 
even 
a 
bank
 that 
took 
billions 
from 
a 
taxpayer
 funded
 bailout.

Ehrlich 
sides 
with 
corporate 
executives 
again 
and 
again 
and
 again.


Tell
 Bob 
Ehrlich: 
Big 
banks 
and 
billionaires 
don’t 
need 
help.
 Middle
class 
Marylanders 
do.