Portman campaign takes aim at Strickland’s Congressional career

Sen. Rob Portman’s (R-Ohio) campaign will open a new front against former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) on Monday, taking aim at Strickland’s record as a member of the House in new digital ads first viewed by The Hill.

{mosads}The Portman campaign has dipped into its substantial war chest early in releasing more than a half-dozen Web ads attacking Strickland over his support for the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran and his record as governor.

On Monday, the Portman campaign will release interactive banner ads meant to highlight Strickland’s record in Washington.

“Ted Strickland failed Ohio in Congress,” the ad states. “Don’t let Retread Ted fail Ohio again.”

The ad redirects viewers to an online petition, where they’re told that “not one of Strickland’s bills became law,” that he was the “third most absent member of Congress” and that he “chose campaigning over showing up for work.”

“Ted Strickland spent 12 years in Congress but failed to pass a single bill into law,” campaign manager Cory Bliss said in a statement. “The Washington Post rated him third most absent after he missed 40% of the votes near the end of his tenure. Ted Strickland was a failed governor, a failed congressman, and Ohio voters are too smart to let Ted fail them in the U.S. Senate.”

The ads are part of an ongoing six-figure digital ad buy. The campaign claims that its previous ad hitting Strickland on Iran reached more than 1 million viewers and said it expects the new ads will get 1 million clicks before the end of the year.

Portman has been spending early on ads against Portman, seeking to take advantage of his substantial fundraising edge. Portman ended the third quarter with $11 million in the bank, compared to $1.5 million in cash-on-hand for Strickland.

Still, Portman faces tough reelection prospects in a critical swing-state in 2016, with early polling showing that he and Strickland are essentially tied.