Ad watch: Ernst touts support for entitlements

AD SPONSOR: Joni Ernst and the National Republican Senatorial Committee

THE RACE: U.S. Senate

STATE: Iowa

ANALYSIS:

A political ad hitting Iowa TV screens is turning up the volume on a fight between Iowa's U.S. Senate candidates over support for Social Security and Medicare.

The 30-second spot features Republican candidate Joni Ernst pledging her support for the Social Security pension system and Medicare health care program for older Americans.

"I'm gonna keep the promise we made to protect Social Security and Medicare for every senior that depends on them, like my mom and dad," Ernst says in the ad. "That's a promise I'll keep for their generation and generations to come."

The ad is a coordinated effort between the Ernst campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The buy is worth $350,000.

It comes as both Ernst and Democratic candidate Bruce Braley seek to paint one another as unreliable on the future of the popular entitlement programs.

Ernst has suggested changes to Social Security for younger workers not currently at or near retirement age, including allowing them to invest retirement savings in the market.

The ad itself, though, has few facts that can be objectively checked. Ernst promises she will "protect Social Security and Medicare" but doesn't specify how. She also qualifies the statement by saying she'll protect the programs "for every senior that depends on them" -- phrasing that could be interpreted to mean present benefits would only be assured for current recipients.

Braley's campaign and Democrats on Monday called the latest ad "dishonest," pointing to statements from Ernst during her primary campaign earlier this year suggesting younger American workers could "transition" to a new retirement savings program that might include investments in the stock market.

"While her campaign can try to hide her tea party agenda, Joni Ernst has made it abundantly clear she would privatize Social Security, end guaranteed benefits for Iowans on the program and gamble retiree savings on Wall Street," Braley spokesman Sam Lau said.

Republicans, though, are pointing to past statements from Braley suggesting he also would support changes to Social Security.

Braley told the Cedar Rapids Gazette in 2006 – shortly before he won his first election to Congress – that raising the retirement age might be necessary to ensure Social Security's long-term viability.

"Braley's past comments for a higher Social Security retirement age is just another reason why our seniors can't count on him," Republican Party of Iowa spokesman Jahan Wilcox said in a statement.

The Braley campaign on Monday clarified that he does not support raising the retirement age and pointed to an interview last month with The Des Moines Register in which Ernst acknowledged that changes might be needed to the program. When asked if she would support a change in the retirement age, Ernst didn't rule it out, telling the reporter she would "have to look further into that."

By Jason Noble, The Des Moines Register