SPOKANE – Republican U.S. Senate candidate George Nethercutt said Friday he was outraged by a television ad that contends he has moved from Spokane to Bellevue.
He said it’s just not so.
Nethercutt and national Republicans have demanded that Democratic Sen. Patty Murray stop running the ad, which states he “moved to Bellevue to advance his political career.”
While Nethercutt has rented an apartment in Bellevue so he can campaign more efficiently in the part of the state where some 80 percent of voters live, he maintains his legal residence in Spokane, his campaign said.
He voted by absentee ballot in Spokane in Tuesday’s primary while he was in Washington, D.C., his campaign said. Nethercutt flew back to the state to watch the primary returns.
“He is paying taxes on his house in Spokane,” said Alex Conant, a Nethercutt spokesman. “He rented an apartment in (Bellevue) because that’s where the voters are.
“It’s unfortunate to see her pitting Eastern Washington against Western Washington,” Conant added.
Alex Glass, Murray’s campaign spokeswoman, defended the ad, saying Nethercutt himself has been telling the people of Bellevue he’s their new neighbor.
“We’re using George Nethercutt’s own words here. There’s nothing inaccurate about these ads whatsoever,” she said.
Murray’s campaign complained Friday that a new television ad by Nethercutt distorted her record on medical liability reform. The ad by Nethercutt contended Murray does not support meaningful reforms in medical liability law that would reduce the number of lawsuits against doctors and reduce costs.
“Senator Murray supports bipartisan, comprehensive liability reform,” Glass said on that topic.
That includes supporting a bill in Congress that would stop frivolous lawsuits, prevent insurance companies from gouging doctors, expose negligent doctors whose records are now kept sealed from public view, and provide incentives to attract good doctors to Washington, Glass said.
The ad tiffs were the latest public tussles in a contest that is becoming increasingly bitter and personal.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee on Friday informed television stations in the state that Murray’s latest ad “contains intentionally misleading and false information” and demanded they pull it off the air.
Nethercutt is a current registered voter in Spokane County, the committee said, adding a certificate of that from the Spokane County elections department.
Federal law requires broadcasters to protect the public from false advertising, the committee said in its letter to stations.
The 30-second ad is titled “Professional Politician” and criticizes Nethercutt for breaking his pledge to serve only three terms when he first ran in 1994, and also contends he missed important votes in Congress so he could campaign.
“That’s George Nethercutt, a professional politician who will do anything to get elected,” said the ad, which was approved by Murray.
The White House recruited Nethercutt to run against Murray, who has been viewed as somewhat vulnerable as she seeks a third term. President Bush and other top Republicans have raised money for Nethercutt, but Murray has remained well ahead in polls and fund-raising.
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