Republican ad for Alberta Darling

Democracy for America and Progressive Change Campaign Committee Release NEW Ad in Alberta Darlings District; MoveOn Joins in to Increase NEW Ad Buy totaling $265,000 ***************Watch the New Ad here: http://bit.ly/pFg0BB***************

Madison, WI Democracy for America and The Progressive Change Campaign Committee released a new ad in Alberta Darlings district today. The new ad is aimed at Sen. Alberta Darling (R, WI SD-8), whose opponent is Assemblywoman Sandy Pasch. Election is August 9.

The ad features Eric Christiansen, of Whitefish Bay, WI. Eric gave up his career as a corporate lawyer and has spent the last ten years as a public school teacher in Whitefish Bay, WI just north of Milwaukee.

In the ad Eric, says:



To me, nothing is more important than education. But Alberta Darling voted for budget cuts that hurt our community schools, all to give tax cuts to the rich and big corporations. (Citations attached.)

Ive voted Republican in the past. Ive voted for Ronald Reagan, George Bush and George W. Bush. And Ive voted for Alberta Darling.

But we need someone on our side -- Im voting for Sandy Pasch for State Senate.



Clearly Republicans in Wisconsin have gone too far in their war on working families when their own voters are jumping ship. I think Alberta Darling is in for an August Surprise, said Charles Chamberlain, Political Director, Democracy for America. Voters are fighting back and Wisconsin is just the beginning. Republicans in Congress are in for their own surprise in 2012.

Today, joined by MoveOn.org, the three groups are announcing a $265,000 ad buy in 3 markets. The buy will be split between this new ad against Darling in Milwaukee, the PCCC/DFA Medicare/BadgerCare ad against Darling announced last week, and the school-closing ad in Green Bay and Madison announced the week before against Sen. Luther Olsen (R, WI SD-14). All are broadcast and cable. This brings spending on ads made by the PCCC and DFA to over $500,000 in the final 3 weeks. Total spending on PCCC/DFA ads in Wisconsin is over $1.5 million -- with hundreds of thousands more spent on grassroots volunteer mobilizing.

Two recent polls showed this a neck-and-neck race in Darlings district. Mellman Group showed Pasch up 2%, Daily Kos PPP poll showed Darling up 5% -- both near margin of error. Mellman and PPP both show Clark up 2% against Olsen.

Wisconsin Democrats are showing the nation what it looks like to fight back and win. This victory will make the history books, and grassroots activists can be proud that our hundreds of thousands of phone calls and $1.5 million in people-powered TV ads helped achieve this historic victory," said Stephanie Taylor, Co-Founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

ABOUT DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA

Democracy for America is a people-powered Democratic Political Action Committee. With over one million members nationwide and 25,000 members in Wisconsin, DFA is a grassroots powerhouse working to change our country and the Democratic Party from the bottom-up. ABOUT THE PROGRESSIVE CHANGE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (BoldProgressives.org) elects bold progressive candidates to office and advocates for progressive policy issues. It has over 750,000 members -- including nearly 26,000 in Wisconsin. http://www.DemocracyForAmerica.com

Paid for by Democracy for America, http://www.democracyforamerica.com, and not authorized by any candidate. BACKGROUND ON ERIC CHRISTIANSEN

Eric Christiansen, Whitefish Bay, WI. Eric gave up his career as a corporate lawyer and has spent the last ten years as a public school teacher in Whitefish Bay, WI just north of Milwaukee. His wife is librarian in that same community. Eric has previously voted for Alberta Darling in the past, has contributed to a Republican campaign and voted for numerous Republicans including Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush both times. However, in Tuesdays recall elections he will be voting for Sandy Pasch for State Senate because he believes its time to have a Senator in Madison whos on his side. CITATIONS

Eric Christiansen, Whitefish Bay, WI

VISUAL: Eric Christiansen in his kitchen in Whitefish Bay, photo of Christiansens son graduating from local schools

SCRIPT: Eric speaks from kitchen:

Im a teacher and my wife works at the library.

All three of our kids attended from Whitefish Bay Public Schools.

To me, nothing is more important than education. But Alberta Darling voted for budget cuts that hurt our community schools, all to give tax cuts to the rich and big corporations. ([1] Express Milwaukee, July 20, 2011: Darling cut $800 million from state aid for K-12 public education while limiting the amount of local property taxes that can be raised for schools.)

Ive voted Republican in the past. Ive voted for Ronald Reagan, George Bush and George W. Bush. And Ive voted for Alberta Darling.

But we need someone on our side -- Im voting for Sandy Pasch for State Senate.

Paid for by the PCCC Recall Fund and DFA Wisconsin.

1. Express Milwaukee, July 20, 2011; Lisa Kaiser, http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-15516-will-the-real-alberta-darling-please-stand-up-.html Scott Walker and Alberta Darling's 'Best Budget'

"This is the best budget I've seen since I entered the Legislature," crowed state Sen. Alberta Darling, the co-chair of the powerful budget-writing Joint Finance Committee (JFC) who is facing a recall election on Aug. 9.

. . .

Some lowlights from the Darling-drafted $66 billion biennial state budget, which raises taxes on low-wage Wisconsinites while handing corporations and the wealthiest residents $2.3 billion in tax breaks over the next decade:

Darling cut $800 million from state aid for K-12 public education while limiting the amount of local property taxes that can be raised for schools. The total damage to schools: $1.6 billion. Additional citation: Republicans mostly go along with Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's school cuts

"This is the best budget I've seen since I entered the Legislature," said committee co-chair Rep. Alberta Darling. Republicans did approve a $49 million reduction in the cut to schools as Walker had proposed, which also allows for about a $67 million increase in local property taxes. But even with that, schools still would have to shoulder a roughly $800 million cut in aid and reduce the total amount they get from aid and local property taxes by 5.5 percent. Associated Press, Scott Bauer, May. 28, 2011 http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20110528/APC0101/105280498/Republicans-mostly-go-along-Wisconsin-Governor-Scott-Walker-s-school-cuts