Republican Ohio Sen. Rob Portman is set to release a trio of new ads Tuesday focusing almost solely on prescription drug and heroin addiction as he makes his first splash on the airwaves in his highly-contested re-election bid.
The three ads focus on Portman’s work on the issue, which includes the passing of a bipartisan anti-heroin bill, called the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, through the Senate on a 94-1 vote in early March.
The Ohio senator speaks directly to voters in one of the three ads, during which he talks up his work on the issue in Washington. The other two prominently feature a recovered drug abuser and a father who lost a son to heroin abuse, both of whom praise Portman for his work on combating the problem.
Ohio has been hit hard by the heroin epidemic. In one ad, Portman noted that more than 25 Ohioans fall victim to a drug overdose every week. According to the Columbus Dispatch, Portman’s bill authorizes Congress to spend $725 million to enhance drug treatment programs.
“Fortunately, leaders like Rob Portman are bringing Democrats and Republicans together passing important legislation and giving hope to people like me,” said Gina Bonaminio, who appears in one of the ads. Bonaminio, who became a heroin addict by age 18 and is now recovering, lauded Portman’s efforts, saying he is “making a difference” on the issue.
The new ads are part of Portman’s attempt to localize the race and focus on what he has accomplished throughout his first term in the Senate. Throughout his campaign, the Ohio senator has dinged former Gov. Ted. Strickland for a lackluster record during his gubernatorial tenure as well as his time in Congress, while comparing it to Portman’s own.
The new ads, which are being released Tuesday online and will run statewide on Wednesday on TV, are the first part of a $15 million ad buy that Portman’s campaign has reserved through election day in an effort to show its muscle as it looks to fight off a challenge from Strickland. Portman’s campaign has significantly outraised its Democratic challenger thus far, having $13.4 million through early April compared to Strickland’s $2.7 million.
The two are in a statistical tie. Strickland leads 40.5-40 percent over the incumbent Republican, according to the latest RealClearPolitics polling average.
