The National Republican Congressional Committee is plunking down about $17,000 on a radio ad to go after Democratic U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson. The spot, which will start airing today, opens with the sounds of the Twins winning the 1991 World Series. The ad says: "Nineteen ninety one. Twins win, Collin Peterson goes to Congress. A lot's changed since then… The national debt's exploded -- more than four times what it was when the Twins won and Peterson went to Washington. After 22 years, Minnesota could use some relief from Collin Peterson's spending." Peterson, who has long won western Minnesota's Seventh Congressional District by hefty margins, has also been known as a fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrat. Republicans have yet to dent that reputation, but the ad shows they plan to try hard to do so in the 2014 cycle.
Spokeswoman for the NRCC Alleigh Marré said, "This most recent ad is proof that we are targeting Peterson more heavily than in previous cycles." The Republican group has also run paid web ads and billboards going after Peterson.
Last week, state Sen. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake, announced he planned to challenge Peterson next year.
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