Television Ad

Democrat Frank Kratovil is a "tax and spend liberal" just like Gov. Martin O'Malley (D-Baltimore), according to "Jim the Plumber," the star of a new ad from Republican Andy Harris.

"Frank Kratovil doesn't understand guys like me," Jim says in the campaign ad, and he is backed up by a chorus of others.

"Just like O'Malley," says a woman.

"I can't afford any more taxes," says a man.

"I can't afford Kratovil," says another man.

Charles E. Graham, chairman of Marylanders United to Stop Slots, told Maryland Moment on Tuesday that he was considering stepping down from his position, blaming Comptroller Peter Franchot's (D-Takoma Park) behavior for the possible decision.

"I was under the impression we were going to talk about the issues," Graham told Maryland Moment of Franchot, who serves on the group's steering committee and is perhaps the most outspoken opponent of slots in the state. "But the problem is it's become personal, and the attacks on the governor, I don't want to be a part of that. ... It's not what I signed up for."

Graham said the final straw was a television ad the group launched on Tuesday.

After Republican Andy Harris's campaign released its controversial "man on the street" television ad, Democrat Frank Kratovil seems to have found a few street dwellers of his own.

"I know that Andy Harris is just not a person that I feel that I can trust," a woman on the street says in a new ad launched by the Kratovil campaign on Tuesday.

"Andy Harris wants to put social security in the stock market. That's a bad idea," says a man.

"Frank Kratovil will do what's right," says another woman.

"After you vote for President, whatever your choice,  join me, Congressman Wayne Gilchrest, and vote for Frank Kratovil for Congress," adds U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Kennedyville).

Kratovil, the Queen Anne's County state's Attorney, is currently competing against Harris, a state Senator from Cockeysville in a heated battle for the open 1st Congressional District seat.

Harris released his own ad "man on the street" style ad earlier this month. The ad, designed to show what average people are saying about Kratovil, features people on the street claiming Kratovil is a liberal who will raise taxes.

Kratovil indirectly disputed the claim in the second ad he released on Tuesday.

The Club for Growth PAC is extending its buy of on-air television ads against Democrat Frank Kratovil beyond the initial  $100,000 ad campaign they launched earlier this month.

Kratovil, the Queen Anne's County state Attorney, is currently running against state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville) for the open 1st Congressional District seat. The Club for Growth has championed Harris since the primaries, sending millions of dollars his way. Kratovil has called the Club for Growth an extreme conservative economic group.

Nachama Soloveichik, communications director for the group, says they have put a lot into the race since the primary and want "to make sure Harris crosses the finish." She says her organization hasn't done any polling, but that the race "looks competitive."

The Club for Growth plans to extend its ad buy of on-air attack ads against Frank Kratovil beyond the $200,000 they launched earlier this month.

The conservative group will be sending another $100,000 to Maryland's 1st Congressional District through its political action committee in addition to the October ad buy, with the hope that the cash infusion can stop Democrat Frank Kratovil in his tracks.

Passing November's slots referendum would recapture millions of dollars Marylanders are sending out of state, according to a new ad from pro-slots group For Maryland For Our Future.

"Right now, we lose $400 million dollars a year from Marylanders who play slots out of state. Those are Maryland dollars paying to improve education in West Virginia and lower taxes in Pennsylvania," says a narrator in the ad. "But we can bring those dollars home by passing slots here in Maryland."

Democrat Frank Kratovil's campaign says its opponent's refusal to pull a television ad that is blatantly dishonest proves Republican Andy Harris is unfit to serve in Congress.

"Andy Harris wants the people of this district to trust him as their Representative in Congress, yet he continues to intentionally deceive them with a blatantly dishonest attack ad a full week after the newspaper cited as justification stood up and denounced the attack as 'inaccurate'," Kevin Lawlor, Kratovil's press secretary, said in as statement.

As his opponent hammers away about a lack of understanding of the economic crisis now facing Americans, Democrat Frank Kratovil continues to insist he never said the crisis was solved, pointing to a new article in The Daily Times to back up his claim.

The 1st Congressional District candidate found himself under fire when Republican Andy Harris's campaign launched an ad Wednesday claiming Kratovil said "we solved the crisis" in reference to the bailout legislation passed by Congress this month.

"We solved the crisis, but we don't always do something to solve the issue," Kratovil was quoted as saying in the original version of an Oct. 7 story in The Daily Times.

It's a quote the Kratovil campaign has complained about before, and they point out the The Daily Times acknowledged Kratovil was misquoted in Thursday's paper.

Kevin Lawlor, Kratovil's press secretary, says the statement was never made. He points to an Oct. 16 story in The Daily Times about the television spot itself as evidence to back up his claim.

Pro-slots organization For Maryland For Our Future substantially outraised its rival anti-slots group during the last financial period, according to reports filed last week with the State Board of Elections.

For Maryland For Our Future ended the last financial quarter with $558,848.04 cash-on-hand and $3,781,500 in total receipts.

Anti-slots ballot issue committee Marylanders United to Stop Slots ended with $142,896.34 cash-on-hand and $411,053 in total receipts.

For Maryland For Our Future spent hundreds of thousands on television and radio advertising in addition to thousands more on consulting and research services. The vast amount of the committee's cash came from the horse racing industry.

The word on the street is Democrat Frank Kratovil is too liberal and will raise your taxes, according to a new ad from Republican Andy Harris's campaign.

Kratovil, the Queen Anne's County state's Attorney, is currently competing against Harris, a state Senator from Cockeysville, for Maryland's 1st Congressional District seat.

"Kratovil wants to raise taxes and I can't afford any more taxes," says a man in the ad.

"Kratovil's just like O'Malley, more taxes more spending," says another, referring to Maryland's Governor Martin O'Malley.

"We can't afford Kratovil's liberal policies," says a woman, before former Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R-Baltimore) flashes on the screen.