Allen County Republicans will buy at least $10,000 in TV ad space to undermine Democrats hoping to rally their local troops at this weekend's state Democratic Party convention in Fort Wayne.
Allen County GOP Chairman Steve Shine said Republicans would try to "saturate" local airwaves with a 60-second spot that highlights what he called a dismal 16 years of Democrat rule before Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels took over in 2005. The ads would start running Thursday, just as about 2,000 Democratic delegates roll into town.
"We want the Democrat delegates who will be visiting to have an opportunity to see the video to let them know Allen County is still a solid Republican county," Shine said Wednesday.
The ad features dozens of negative headlines from Indiana's years under Democratic governors Evan Bayh, Frank O'Bannon and Joe Kernan, set against dark, ominous music and lighting.
"Do you remember the last time Democrats controlled Indiana?" the video asks.
Local Democratic Party officials could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.
The ad will start running on WANE, NewsChannel 15, during its 5 p.m. newscast Thursday and keep running during local newscasts through Saturday night, Shine said. Republicans also bought time on a Fox cable channel and hope to buy space on WPTA, Channel 21, he said.
