Today, the DCCC launched a new ad in Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District, warning voters that Rep. Erik Paulsen is a bought-and-sold politician who has lost touch with Minnesotans. Paulsen, who ranks 5th in the country for the most special interest money taken, has banked more than $2 million dollars from special interests while voting their way in D.C.
Since Paulsen can’t defend his own record, he’s using that special interest cash to launch false attacks on his opponent Dean Phillips. Paulsen and his allies have come under fire for launching a series of attack ads that have been condemned by business leaders, fellow Republicans and the media:
- WCCO: “This is a Congressman (Paulsen) who’s built a reputation over the last 10 years as someone who’s a nice guy, who is civil, but he has really gone negative in this campaign”
- KARE11: “The latest attack ads by Congressman Erik Paulsen targeting rival Dean Phillips are extremely misleading to viewers”
- KSTP: “A new television ad by Republican 3rd District Congressional candidate Erik Paulsen exaggerates and misleads in an attempt to tie Democratic opponent Dean Phillips to another candidate accused of domestic abuse”
- Business/Volunteer Leaders via Star Tribune: “An incumbent, Republican Erik Paulsen of Minnesota’s Third Congressional District, leveled an outrageous lie at members of our community who volunteered to serve on the board of a nonprofit organization. If that was where it ended, it would hardly be newsworthy and we would hardly care; Paulsen’s campaign has hit a negativity level we have never seen from this former paragon of political civility.”
- KARE11: “New claims in attack ads against DFL candidate Dean Phillips range from misleading to just plain false”
- Star Tribune: “Lawyer in Allina sexual harassment case blasts Erik Paulsen ad”
- PolitiFact: “Attack ad falsely claims that Dean Phillips doesn’t provide health coverage to his employees”
“Rep. Erik Paulsen should be ashamed of himself,” said DCCC spokesperson Rachel Irwin. “Paulsen banks the 5thmost special interest cash in Congress, and rather than defend his own record, he’s flooding the airwaves with blatantly false attack ads. Paulsen’s record of voting to raise healthcare costs and gut protections for Minnesotans with pre-existing conditions speaks for itself. Paulsen doesn’t just vote with President Trump 98 percent of the time, he’s starting to campaign like him, too. Paulsen has clearly lost his way and doesn’t deserve another term in Washington.”