McClintock campaign hews to closely worded script in new TV spots

Congressional candidate Tom McClintockWith less than a month before the June 3 primary, Republican U.S. House candidate Tom McClintock is out with two new television advertisements that hammer home the central theme of his campaign: that he is a consistent and reliable conservative.

“For two decades, Tom McClintock has led the conservative fight in California. He’s fought to cut taxes and spending, secure our border and defend our rights as citizens,” an announcer says in “The Real Conservative,” a 30-second spot.

“Smear”, another 30-second advertisement, aims to contrast McClintock’s record with what it says is primary opponent Doug Ose’s liberal history. “Doug Ose is trying to hide his own liberal voting record – by smearing Tom McClintock. There’s a real difference between our candidates for Congress – Tom McClintock is a proven conservative ‐ and Doug Ose is just too liberal,” an announcer says.

McClintock, a veteran state legislator, is locked in a heated battle with Ose, a former U.S. Congressman. While Ose has been stressing his business credentials and his ability to deliver for the district, McClintock’s campaign has been utterly focused in framing the race as a battle between a conservative versus a liberal.

“This congressional campaign has been a contrast between the liberal Doug Ose and the real conservative, Tom McClintock,” said McClintock spokesman Stan Devereux in a statement announcing the release of the advertisements.

But Doug Elmets, a spokesman for Ose, called the McClintock advertisements superficial and said they did little beyond offering generalities.

“The ads do nothing to tell voters of the 4th Congressional District what McClintock can do for them,” said Elmets.

The McClintock campaign said the advertisements will begin airing Wednesday on stations throughout the Roseville-area district.