National parties at parity in Murtha race

WASHINGTON – National Republicans are matching Democrats toe-to-toe in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional district air wars, where U.S. Rep. John Murtha finds himself in a surprisingly difficult race for re-election.

The National Republican Congressional Committee is paying $465,000 through its independent expenditure arm to air its TV ad, out Thursday, in the Southwestern Pennsylvania district. The figure promises saturation of the Pittsburgh media market in the five days leading up to Election Day, and puts the committee at parity with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s nearly $440,000 ad buy from earlier in the week.

The ramped-up efforts from the party committees come after Murtha was quoted in recent media reports calling his constituents “rednecks” and “racist.”

“John Murtha doesn’t respect us,” the NRCC’s ad says in highlighting the remarks. “We know John Murtha lacks judgment.”

While the House Republicans are ramping up their effort to oust Murtha, the Democrat is continuing to raise funds from his congressional colleagues. Today, Murtha reported taking in funds from the political action committees of U.S. Sens. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.), and Bob Casey (D-Penn.). In the last four days Murtha has received around $100,000 in checks from fellow congressional Democrats.

Republicans are aiming to boost William Russell, an Iraq veteran, whose bid against Murtha was once considered something of a long shot. Earlier in the week, the NRCC paid $84,000 to run a TV ad highlighting a series of Murtha’s more controversial statements over the years.

A spokesman for the NRCC said today that he was unaware of any plans for further involvement from the committee in the race.