The 4th Congressional District campaign of Democrat Charlie Brown is running a radio advertisement lampooning Republican Tom McClintock over his inability to vote for himself in the race.
Here are the text of the ad and an analysis by Peter Hecht of The Bee's Capitol Bureau:
Narrator: Let me get this straight.
There's this guy from L.A. called Tom McClintock who's running for Congress in our district – and he says he's not going to vote for himself.
Seriously, he's up here from L.A. asking us to vote for him, but he's not going to vote for himself.
I know this sounds really weird – but Tom McClintock has made his decision – he's not voting for Tom McClintock.
Now, L.A. Tom could vote for himself – if he would just move here. You would think if he wants to represent us, he wouldn't mind living here – it's a nice place.
But wait, if he moved here, he wouldn't get that fat salary and tax-free living expenses from the state Senate. Oh, yeah, and L.A. Tom would have to give up his taxpayer-funded government car.
L.A. Tom has made his decision. Let's make ours. If Tom McClintock won't vote for himself, why should we?
Analysis
The ad inherits a line of political attack from former Republican Rep. Doug Ose, whom McClintock defeated handily in the GOP primary.
Ose hammered McClintock, a state senator representing a district in Ventura County, for accepting per diem checks for work at the Capitol. McClintock maintains his principal residence in Elk Grove, 14 miles from the Capitol, but is registered to vote at a Thousand Oaks home he owns with his mother.
The Brown ad is making a misleading assertion that McClintock has decided not to vote for himself.
As state senator, McClintock is required to be registered to vote in his home district – and thus isn't eligible to vote in the Northern California congressional district.
Call Peter Hecht, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 326-5539.
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