Gillibrand gains ground in August

WFP-endorsed candidate Kirsten Gillibrand is gathering support and momentum as she campaigns across the 20th District.

Gillibrand has been endorsed by the state AFL-CIO and the New York State United Teachers. She's got a new ad out. And she's got a plan to cut our country's dependence on foreign oil.

As Gillibrand campaigns on the issues, her opponent, Republican incumbent John Sweeney, is resorting to more negative campaigning. Gillibrand's a fifth generation upstate New Yorker, while Sweeney didn't live in the district when he was first elected to Congress. But the Karl Rove playbook says attack your opponent's strengths, so Sweeney is smearing Gillibrand with a radio ad that pretends he doesn't know where she lives.

And a Republican firm is doing a round of push polling, so expect more negative attacks from Sweeney.

Sweeney's being investigated for violating House ethics rules and Sweeney's connection to GOP fixer Jack Abramoff is coming to light, so expect a dirty campaign as he tries to distract voters.

But Kirsten Gillibrand isn't sitting still while Sweeney smears her; she's defending herself - you can hear her online, here's the script:

"Have you heard Congressman John Sweeney trying to beat up on Kirsten Gillibrand? His attacks aren't true. The Albany Times Union calls Kirsten an Albany native and said, 'Ms. Gillibrand and her family live in Columbia County and nowhere else.' The Glens Falls Post-Star called Sweeney's claims false and disingenuous, and said, 'It's a non-issue. Get past it.'

So why is John Sweeney lying? Maybe because he doesn't want you to remember that he's been one of President Bush's biggest supporters in the Congress. He doesn't want you to know about his lockstep support for the Bush energy plan that rewards big oil companies instead of reducing the price of gas at the pump.

And maybe Sweeney doesn't want to talk about the fact that he supports the president's failed 'Stay the Course' strategy in Iraq. A rubberstamp for the failed Bush agenda on gas prices and Iraq. Now we know why John Sweeney would rather tell lies about Kirsten Gillibrand than tell the truth about his own record."

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