Last week I blogged about the ads Senator Blanche Lincoln is running on African-American radio in Arkansas, claiming she "stood with our president to pass healthcare reform." The ads drew a sharp response from Lincoln’s primary challenger, Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter. "Who is Blanche Lincoln trying to fool on healthcare?" said the Halter ad. "She didn’t stand up to the special interests, she worked for them."

Now one of the unions that endorsed Halter, the Communications Workers of America, has launched a new ad campaign further targeting Lincoln on healthcare and tying her to George W. Bush. Listen here.

Here’s the script:

 

Stop right there. Listen up.

 

Have you heard the mess Senator Blanche Lincoln has been talking, right here on the radio?

To hear Lincoln tell it, she’s been President Obama’s best friend.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

Time and time and time again, Blanche Lincoln opposed, obstructed, and downright got in the way of President Obama trying to get things done.

Lincoln lined up and led the charge with Republicans and insurance lobbyists to try to embarrass the President and kill health care reform.

Instead of protecting us, Lincoln’s helping big insurance companies protect their profits.

Shameful!

Then again what would expect?

Lincoln left us long ago.

She calls herself a Democrat but voted for George Bush’s tax cuts and sides with Republicans on too many issues.

She barely ever comes back to Arkansas…except when it’s voting time.

Call Senator Lincoln, at 202-224-3121.

Tell her we need Senator who won’t take us for granted.

 

CWA says the radio spot is running on eleven African-American radio stations in the state. "If you listen to hip-hop, R&B, gospel–any African-American radio–you are going to hear this ad," says a CWA official. "In stations around Little Rock it will run more than 50 times a day–twice per hour. In the smaller, regional stations it will run 20-30 times per day."

The union also unveiled a new TV ad aimed at middle-class Democratic voters, hitting Lincoln for supporting trade deals that sent US jobs overseas. "Since she killed our jobs," the ad wonders, "should she keep hers?"

Though only five percent of Arkansans belong to a union, labor has pledged to spend $4 million on Halter’s behalf. The primary on May 18 will be a key test of their clout in this conservative state and unexpected battleground.