Senate Dems tie vulnerable Republicans to Trump in new ad

The campaign arm of Senate Democrats launched its first paid advertisement Tuesday, aiming to tie vulnerable Republican incumbents and upstart Senate challengers to GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) ad intersperses clips of some of Trump’s incendiary remarks — with a lot of foul language bleeped out — with clips of incumbents and House members running for Senate saying they’ll support Trump if he’s the party’s nominee.

Among those who make an appearance: Sens. John McCain (Ariz.), Rob Portman (Ohio), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Pat Toomey (Pa.), Roy Blunt (Mo.), and Ron Johnson (Wis.).

Portman, Ayotte, Kirk, Toomey and Johnson all face tough reelection prospects in a presidential year, when turnout could favor Democrats. Kirk and Johnson are the most endangered of the bunch, while Portman, Ayotte and Toomey are running in hotly contested swing states.

Also in the ad are Reps. Joe Heck (Nev.), who is running for the seat being vacated by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and David Jolly (Fla.) and Ron DeSantis (Fla.), who are in a crowded primary running for the seat being vacated by Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.).

“Republicans running for U.S. Senate, running with Trump,” text from the ad states.

It then cuts to Trump saying: “What the hell are we doing?”

“Exactly,” the ad concludes.

The DSCC says the ad is the first in what will be a “sustained campaign” across television, radio and social media meant to tie Republicans running for Senate to the controversial GOP front-runner.

Democrats have a good chance of taking back the Senate in 2016 after losing their majority in the last cycle.

Republicans are defending 24 seats, compared to only 10 for Democrats. If Democrats net five seats, they’ll win back the Senate.

Many Republicans up for reelection are running in states President Obama carried in 2008 or 2012.