House Republicans may be losing the fight to retake the majority but they are still taking the fight to Democrats in toss-up races.
The Congressional Leadership Fund, the top super PAC backing House Republican candidates, launched an ad spree Wednesday that zeroed in on tight races in California, Utah, New Mexico, Oklahoma and New York.
The ads hit vulnerable Democratic incumbents Reps. Harley Rouda of California, Xochitl Torres Small of New Mexico and Kendra Horn of Oklahoma with accusations ranging from using cold-hearted business practices to bowing to liberal gun-grabbers.
A TV spot accused Mr. Rouda of discriminating against sick employees at his former business while trying to link him to the more liberal wing’s push for Medicare for All.
Meanwhile, Ms. Torres Small was hammered on her record for supporting the Democrats’ gun control bill last year. Ms. Horn was framed as a lackey of the party leadership, particularly when it came to energy issues.
CLF also tries to bolster the GOP’s chances in two vulnerable districts — currently held by Republican Reps. Mike Garcia of California and Peter King of New York — by going after the Democratic hopefuls.
Christy Smith, a councilwoman facing off for a second time against Mr. Garcia in a swing district Katie Hill used to lead, was criticized for her record in local leadership and accused of cutting funding for teachers.
Army veteran Jackie Gordon is up against New York assemblyman Andrew Garbarino in a fight to secure the open seat left by Mr. King’s impending retirement this year. The CLF ad tries to tie her to New York City mayor Bill de Blasio’s record of raising taxes and cutting funding for the police.
While the majority of the campaign is attack ads, CLF also propped up Republican candidate Burgess Owens, a former NFL player, who is taking on Democratic incumbent Rep. Ben McAdams in Utah.
“Burgess Owens is the leader we need to heal our nation, tackle the virus and protecting the vulnerable,” the narrator says.
