FRANKFORT, Ky. — Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul has a new TV ad that alleges that his chief rival, Trey Grayson, is aligned with former President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama on national defense issues.
The Paul ad comes on the heels of a TV ad by Secretary of State Grayson that tries to paint Paul as weak on national defense.
The Paul ad, which his campaign said will run in coming days on cable and broadcast stations, says "career politician Trey Grayson is attacking Rand Paul again."
With scenes of Paul talking to veterans, an announcer says, "The son of a veteran, Rand Paul believes a strong national defense is the most important responsibility of our government."
It then attacks Grayson. The ad says, "And Trey Grayson, he admitted to voting for draft-dodger Bill Clinton."
It refers to a July 2009 article in the Lexington Herald-Leader in which Grayson said he voted for Clinton for president in 1992, when he cast his first presidential ballot.
The newspaper reported that Grayson told students and community leaders at the University of Kentucky in September 2008 that he first registered as a Democrat but changed to a Republican when he realized that he agreed more often with the GOP on issues.
Nate Hodson, campaign manager for Grayson, replied to the ad by asking whom Paul, son of former presidential candidate Ron Paul of Texas, voted for in the 1988 and 2008 presidential campaigns.
"Kentuckians deserve to know who Rand Paul voted for in the 1988 presidential campaign, when he was the top aide for Ron Paul's pro-choice, anti-Reagan campaign for president," Hodson said.
"Or, who he voted for in the 2008 Republican Presidential primary, when he campaigned across the country for his dad's shut down Gitmo, legalize marijuana, cut-and-run in Iraq and Afghanistan, blame America for 9/11 campaign for president."
Paul's ad continues by telling viewers to "listen to what Grayson said about Barack Obama."
The Paul campaign again used part of a statement that Grayson made on Obama's Inauguration Day, saying he looked forward as secretary of state and a citizen to "working with" the new president.
"Dangerous allies," the Paul ad says.
Read more of this story at Kentucky.com