Democrat Jason Kander shook up the race for Senate in Missouri with his breakout ad in which he assembles a rifle blindfolded while embracing background checks for gun purchases. Hoping to build on his newfound momentum, Kander is out with a new ad going hard at the incumbent Sen. Roy Blunt for his lobbyist ties, within his family.
"In fact his wife lobbied so big corporations get tax breaks you and I can never get. And guess who championed the bill? Roy Blunt. Why is he taking care of his family business, and not ours?" The bill cited in the fine print of the ad, the Rebuilding America Act of 2011, would have allowed multinational corporations bring offshore profits to America at a reduced tax rate. Blunt co-sponsored the bill, but it never received a vote in the Senate.
Kander is betting this political year, marked by voter anger at Washington, is different. He closes out the ad by saying, "We won't change Washington until we change the people we send there." If he's to triumph in Republican-leaning state, running against Washington is his only shot.
Jason Kander Calls Lobbying Blunt's ‘Family Business’
"Family Business" features a local small business owner showing off his print shop. "This is our family business, and we work hard," he says before going in for the kill. "Roy Blunt's wife and three of his children have a family business too. They're all lobbyists, all of them." A "family tree" chart is shown on the screen, with "LOBBYIST" above each family member's head."In fact his wife lobbied so big corporations get tax breaks you and I can never get. And guess who championed the bill? Roy Blunt. Why is he taking care of his family business, and not ours?" The bill cited in the fine print of the ad, the Rebuilding America Act of 2011, would have allowed multinational corporations bring offshore profits to America at a reduced tax rate. Blunt co-sponsored the bill, but it never received a vote in the Senate.
Do Voters Care That Roy Blunt's Wife Is a Lobbyist?
Democrats have been accusing Blunt of carrying water for his lobbyist wife Abigail for years. In 2010, a Democratic ad dredged up an episode from 2002, when Blunt was dating Abigail – months after he divorced his wife – and was caught pushing a provision supported by her client. But his wife, who has been named of the top corporate lobbyists in Washington, insists she doesn't lobby the chamber where her husband sits. In the past, voters have shrugged off the charges.Kander is betting this political year, marked by voter anger at Washington, is different. He closes out the ad by saying, "We won't change Washington until we change the people we send there." If he's to triumph in Republican-leaning state, running against Washington is his only shot.