Portman focuses on heroin fight in new ads

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is pointing to his work fighting opioid addiction in new ads as he faces a tough reelection race this year. 

{mosads}One ad focuses on Portman’s work on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which passed the Senate in March. 

“Heroin addiction’s become an epidemic that’s sweeping across our communities, destroying lives and tearing families apart,” Portman says to the camera in the ad.

“Fortunately, there’s some hope on the way. Working together with Democrats and Republicans, I passed legislation to help break the grip of addiction. By investing in prevention, treatment and recovery, empowering law enforcement and stopping the overprescribing of painkillers, we can turn the tide.”

CARA authorizes grants for educational programs, the anti-overdose drug naloxone, programs to monitor prescribing practices, and other initiatives against the abuse of heroin and prescription opioid painkillers. 

The House and Senate are now in talks to merge their respective opioid packages. 

Vulnerable Republican senators have been pointing to their work on opioid addiction. 

Democrats argued CARA would not make much of a difference without new funding, but Republicans rejected adding emergency funding to the bill, saying the measure would direct money that was already appropriated in this year’s spending bill. Portman broke with most Republican senators to support adding the new funding. 

Portman’s ads will begin airing Wednesday, according to The Washington Post, which first reported them. 

In the other two ads, people impacted by drug addiction praise Portman’s efforts, according to the Post.