Dem ads hit GOP over birthright citizenship

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will launch a Twitter ad campaign Thursday seeking to tie six swing-district Republicans to the emerging push among GOP presidential candidates over birthright citizenship.

The ads, which are in Spanish, will target Reps. Mike Coffman (Colo.), Martha McSally (Ariz.), Steve Knight (Calif.), Barbara Comstock (Va.), Crescent Hardy (Nev.) and Will Hurd (Texas).

“Republicans, including Mike Coffman, want to end birthright citizenship,” one ad says. “Tell @RepMikeCoffman that is wrong!”

All of the candidates the DCCC is targeting face tough reelection prospects in a presidential election year when turnout is expected to favor Democrats. Four of the six are in the House GOP’s program to protect vulnerable Republicans.

The Republicans targeted in the ads hail from districts or states with heavy Hispanic populations.

For instance, Hurd’s district shares about 800 miles of border with Mexico, while Coffman has learned Spanish to better communicate with his constituents.

The National Republican Congressional Committee is already up with tv and digital ads in those districts supporting the GOP candidates.

Donald Trump has stirred up debate among Republican presidential candidates over the issue of birthright citizenship. The immigration plan he released over the weekend would end the right enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.

Many Republicans are fearful that Trump’s rhetoric on the issue — he has described illegal immigrants as rapists and other criminals and reignited talk about “anchor babies” — will hurt the party as it seeks to make inroads with minorities.