Ramstad, Frenzel decry attack ads

Calling mailings and TV ads from Democrats "gutter politics" and "utter fabrications," retiring U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad on Tuesday called on DFL candidate Ashwin Madia to disavow party attacks on Erik Paulsen, Madia's Republican rival in the race to succeed Ramstad.

One of the mailings suggests that Paulsen received money from a strip club fundraiser in Las Vegas.

Madia and Paulsen are facing off in Minnesota's suburban Third Congressional District. Independence Party candidate David Dillon also is seeking the seat.

The race for a rare open seat has become one of the nation's most bitterly partisan, particularly among outside groups, which have flooded television airwaves with independent expenditure ads.

Ramstad said at a news conference that Madia "has violated all principles of decency in running the dirtiest campaign our district has ever seen." As part of the news conference, former Republican Rep. Bill Frenzel, who preceded Ramstad, decried in a prepared statement what he called "Chicago-style politics."

The Madia campaign, in turn, said Paulsen has been the only candidate to run negative advertising, including one released within the past couple days accusing Madia of lying about whom he voted for in the 2000 presidential campaign. Madia first told a reporter he had voted for Al Gore and then said he voted for George Bush.

"The only campaign airing negative attacks with their own money is the Erik Paulsen for Congress campaign," said Madia communications director Dan Pollock.

Stacey Johnson, communications director for the Paulsen campaign, called Pollock's assertion that the Madia campaign is not running negative ads "a blatant lie."

"The Madia campaign has been benefiting from outside special interest groups for over a month now, running a negative smear campaign distorting our record," she said.

Ramstad said Madia should forcefully disavow the ads, produced largely by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Last week Madia said he did not approve of the DCCC ads "to the extent they were inaccurate" but also said he had no control over them.

The DCCC was unrepentant about its approach. "You bet we're going to continue to let Minnesotans know just how bad Erik Paulsen has been for our proud veterans," said Carrie James, a DCCC spokeswoman.