Congressman Pat Murphy, incumbent Democrat of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s 8th district, has hit the air with his first ad of the general election season. The congressman, whose own internal polling recently placed the race in a dead heat against Republican Mike Fitzpatrick, has come out swinging.
Murphy devotes his entire first ad to criticizing Mike Fitzpatrick’s legislative history. Fitzpatrick served the 8th district before being edged out by some 1,500 votes (or less than 2 percent) in the Democrat wave of 2006.
“As a congressman, Mike Fitzpatrick took care of everyone but you,” bemoans Murphy.
Unfortunately, Murphy — a so-called “blue dog” moderate — has voted with Nancy Pelosi’s agenda 97 percent of the time, and despite working with Rebublicans to “cut $120 billion in waste” from the budget, he’s voting for major spending programs that are projected to add trillions to the federal deficit.
Mike Fitzpatrick responded to Murphy’s attacks in a statement:
While Murphy’s ad attacks Mike Fitzpatrick, it fails to mention that Murphy supported and voted for the Wall Street Bailout, Cash for Clunkers, the Stimulus and Obamacare. Also absent from the ad is the fact that Murphy supports the Obama-Pelosi agenda 97 percent of the time.
“Patrick Murphy can’t run on his record because it is a record of failed policies, high unemployment and economic malaise,” Fitzpatrick said, “Murphy also can’t run on his plan because he frankly doesn’t have one. Attacking me might make Congressman Murphy feel better about his record, but it won’t help the economy and it certainly won’t help create jobs.”