NASHVILLE - Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander today launched his second general election television ad, the second in as many days, with this one directly attacking his Democratic opponent, Gordon Ball, by name.
The ad deftly manages to pack five charges against Ball, a successful Knoxville class-action lawsuit lawyer, into a single sentence as an image of President Barack Obama slowly emerges from a picture of Ball's head.
"Gordon Ball tells us he'd be independent," the 30-second spot's narrator ominously says as an image of the Democratic president slowly emerges from a photo of Ball. "But he'd be just one more vote for Obama. He's a liberal, pro-Obamacare, pro-choice, pro-gun control, slick-talking personal injury lawyer."
On Monday, Alexander aired his first ad. This one featured the two-term incumbent himself grimly criticizing Obamacare, border security, terrorists "run rampant" and federal debt. Alexander says "if that's OK with you then vote for my opponent -- he'll be just one more vote for Barack Obama's agenda."
But Alexander doesn't mention Ball's name.
Both ads are now running.
Ball, meanwhile, began running his first ad on Monday. It features actual footage of Alexander serenely playing the piano but with a digitally altered version of the "Tennessee Waltz" with the senator pounding out a series of sour notes.
The ad charges Alexander is "out of tune" with Tennesseans.
Early voting in the Nov. 4 contest begins Oct. 15.