The House Majority PAC has unveiled its new TV ad hammering Republican Jesse Kelly, who is facing Democrat Ron Barber in the June 12 special election to complete Gabrielle Giffords’ term. The ad captures Kelly on the campaign trail, where he has promised to eliminate the minimum wage and corporate income taxes, lower taxes for wealthy Americans and privatize and phase out Social Security and Medicare.
Last week, Kelly attempted to backtrack on his support for privatizing and phasing out Social Security and Medicare through a makeover designed by the National Republican Congressional Committee. But when reporters pressed Kelly on how that squared with his earlier positions, he abruptly ended the press conference.
Kelly’s campaign has not returned phone calls from the Tucson Weekly to discuss his new position.
Early voting in the special election begins next Thursday, May 17. An in-depth look at the race between Kelly and Barber can be found here.
Here’s the press release from the House Majority PAC:
House Majority PAC today released an advertisement that demonstrates just how extreme Jesse Kelly is – using his own words. Kelly is the Republican nominee in the special election in Arizona’s Eighth District to complete the term of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
The TV ad, entitled “Screens,” will begin running on Friday. It features clips of Kelly championing extreme positions, like his support of tax cuts for the top one percent, a zero percent corporate tax rate, abolition of the minimum wage and his characterization of Medicare and Social Security as Ponzi schemes that he’d like to see eliminated.
“Jesse Kelly may now be working overtime to deny his full-throated support for extreme policies, but as Warner Wolf famously said, ‘let’s go to the videotape,’” said Alixandria Lapp, Executive Director of House Majority PAC. “Whether it’s backing massive tax cuts for the wealthiest among us, abolishing the minimum wage or eliminating Medicare and Social Security and ripping the safety net out from underneath seniors, Jesse Kelly is out of step with southern Arizonans.”
This article appears in May 10-16, 2012.
He IS too extreme. First he says he wants to hurt seniors by getting them off Medicare and Social Security and now he’s back peddling. Can’t have it both ways, Jesse. It’s your party that’s the problem anyway. It’s obvious that he’s never had to be without health care or a way to pay for medical care or even a job–unlike a lot of people in this district. Maybe he needs to experience it first-hand….like NOT being elected.
Apparently it is not possible, desirable or even mildly interesting for the Tucson Weekly’s Senior Writer to actually investigate the bankrolling of the Old Pueblo’s shabby moneygrubbing tv stations by PACs, SuperPACS and such…
At this time of year, isn’t is rather obvious they’re just hogs at the trough? What is it you want Jim to investigate? Like any business, local TV stations will suck down every political ad thrown at them. Doesn’t sound like news to me.
Oh my goodness,don’t they ever get tired of saying someone is too extreme when we all know that he is just “EVOLVING” in the same way obongo does……Hmmm???
Maybe better extreme than a kool aid drinking milqtoast who will vote wich ever way he is commanded by the DNC and Nancy Pelosi.
Oh, but Jesse Kelly now has his “Etch A Sketch” in high gear to reassure older voters that he’s really for keeping Social Security and Medicare intact… yeah..
Clearly, he is not as extreme as some of the constituents of CD8. At least, he has to pretend he is not, in order to get a few “moderate” votes for a win. Reminds me of the story of the scorpion who asks for a ride across the river…