Iowa’s U.S. Senate race seems to be focused on the barnyard. Repubican Joni Ernst effectively used a baby pig in a campaign ad and now Democrat Bruce Braley is using a baby chick.
“We’ve all heard the one about pigs squealing,” a female narrator says in Braley’s ad, “but when Joni Ernst had the chance to do something in Iowa, we didn’t hear a peep.”
Ernst, as you may know, is currently a state senator and Braley’s ad blasts Ernst for failing to sponsor legislation in the Iowa Senate that would cut pork in the state’s budget, to counter Ernst’s pledge to cut pork in the federal budget. A handful of Democrats from the state legislature plan to speak at a series of news conferences around the state Thursday to bolster Braley’s argument,. Braley himself vows to go after Ernst record on a variety of farm-related issues.
“They’re going to hear about my strong support for the Renewable Fuels Standard and my opponent’s philosophic opposition to it, my support for the Farm Bill and my opponent’s opposition to it,” Braley said during a Primary Night interview with Radio Iowa. “Those are some of the pocketbook issues that I think Iowans care about, so people know who they’re voting for on November 4.”
Iowa’s U.S. Senate race will be among the most closely-watched in the country, as Republicans hope to secure it and Democrats hope to defend it. Democrat Tom Harkin has held the seat for 30 years.