Landrieu challenger Hollis launches first ad

Republican state Rep. Paul Hollis launched his first ad in his bid against Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) on Thursday.

{mosads}The 30-second spot is running in five media markets around the state for two weeks. It features Hollis walking through a field, speaking to the camera about Landrieu’s support for Obama and the healthcare reform law.

“Louisiana’s senator must stand for Louisiana. Our senator made a choice: She chose President Obama,” he says at the beginning.

He goes on to declare that he’s “lifetime Louisiana,” and that the state’s families “deserve better than the high premiums, large deductibles and canceled policies of ObamaCare.”

He makes no overt reference to his other GOP opponents in the Senate race but takes an implicit crack at Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), in framing himself as opposed to “Washington insider[s],” a designation that includes both congressional incumbents running for the seat.

“We can run our lives and our state better than any Washington insider,” he adds.

Hollis launched an underdog bid for the seat late last year. His candidacy complicates the party’s chances of defeating Landrieu, a top GOP target, because he runs the risk of splitting the GOP vote in the all-party primary Louisiana has and sending the race to a runoff, where Republicans are less certain about their fortunes.

In addition to Cassidy, retired Air Force Colonel Rob Maness is also running, and has the backing of The Madison Project and Senate Conservatives Fund. 

Watch the ad: