Steller Column: Constant Attack Ads Could Turn in McSally-Sinema Race | Local news

McSally set the tone for the ongoing advertising war for the US Senate seat with her first place, which she announced even before she won the GOP nomination in August, attacking Sinema as a protester of war wearing the tutu. Outside groups supporting McSally followed his lead during the attack, even using the same Sinema image during an anti-war demonstration in 2003 in a pink tutu.

They went further, saying that Sinema was in favor of lower sentences for clients who use child prostitutes, and even to attack him as a "gasp! – former criminal defense lawyer representing persons accused of crimes. An advertisement from the National Republican Senate Committee says, "His company even represented a meth dealer who killed a young mother and dropped her body into a dumpster."

Sinema or his followers fought back, but not at the same pace. An announcement from the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee called the Republican deputy from Tucson a dishonest liar and thief. Another announcement, published by Priorities USA Action, says McSally "wants to let insurance companies deny health care to people with preexisting conditions."

One would think that McSally, a former fighter pilot who often speaks of his service, would be a favorite to win this "air war" on television and on the Internet. But I suspect that there is a public desire for something more than these attacks. What a curious Arizona voter might ask, is McSally or Sinema for?

Voters do not expect a detailed policy prescription in a 30-second ad. It's fair to demand better than we could get in advertising that has dominated not only television, but social media and even online music streams.

The reason for the attack is that the stakes are high and that the race, for a seat left free by outgoing Republican Jeff Flake, is near. The control of the Senate, which now favors Republicans at 51-49, could be reversed if Sinema wins and other elections fall under the yoke of Democrats.

Plus, it sounds like a race that one or the other candidate, both members of Congress, could win. In an NBC / Marist poll released on Tuesday, Sinema earned a 45-43 percent lead over McSally, with a 6 percent candidacy from Green Party candidate Angela Green.

Donors know all this, of course. They have already donated $ 10.5 million to the Sinema campaign and $ 7.6 million to the McSally campaign, though much has been spent on its main run. Outside groups take over. They spent $ 5.1 million against Sinema, $ 1.5 million to support McSally, $ 4.5 million against McSally and $ 2.1 million to support Sinema.

Total of all categories to date: approximately $ 31 million.

McSally knew that the stakes were high and that the race would of course be very close when she launched her general election campaign before the day of the primary elections. On August 23, McSally said, "While we were in danger, Kyrsten Sinema protested in a pink tutu and denigrated our service."

On-line fact finder Politifact quickly examined McSally's advertisement and concluded that her claim was "mostly false" because Ms. Sinema did not denigrate the troops during her demonstrations against the war in Iraq. But then, CNN showed that leaflets for anti-war protests organized by Sinema had portrayed US soldiers as terrorists.

In any case, Sinema came back with an advertisement to her, presenting a trio of veterans who support her and noting the military service of two of her brothers. (It should be remembered, of course, that Sinema was probably right about the war, while McSally was honored to do so.)

The tendency to attack McSally's advertising, in response to Sinema's announcement, continued as part of the legislative action in which Sinema reportedly supported shorter sentences for child prostitute users.

That was Defend Arizona, a political action committee that supported McSally, who released the ad making this request. Several important Tucsonians supported the CAP, which earmarked $ 4.9 million of airtime for ads this fall.

Among Tucson's major donors: Jim Click, who donated $ 100,000; Paul Baker, $ 100,000; Don Diamond, $ 25,000; Mike Kasser, $ 25,000, Humberto Lopez, $ 25,000, and Richard Luebke, $ 25,000.

"You always want to make sure that what you are proposing is factual, and that voters should decide who to vote for," argues Arizona consultant Barrett Marson, a former Arizona Daily Star member. colleague, I said.

Rodd McLeod, Democratic campaign consultant, described what happened this way: "Sinema votes in committee for a Republican bill to increase penalties for juvenile prostitution and manages to make a small announcement they voted to create a misleading impression.

Marson, the Republican consultant, defended the announcement saying, "She voted for a diluted bill."

McLeod, who helps coordinate the spending of some outside groups for Sinema and McSally, said candidates could no longer win at statewide races without significant outside support. And he suspects that McSally's attacks will turn against him.

I hope this threat, a real possibility in my book, will put pressure on both campaigns and outside groups to do something different. The pink tutu was a cute little number, but it does not work like an everyday attire.