Democratic Rep. Harold Ford became the first Senate candidate in the nation to hit the airwaves Thursday when he began airing a 30-second television ad. It will run statewide for two and a half weeks at a cost of about $500,000. The spot features Ford speaking to camera about his recent trip to Iraq saying, "I approve this message because this Fourth of July I hope all of us can take a moment to remember those brave Americans fighting to make the world freer and our country safer." The ad does not mention Ford's party affiliation or that he is a Senate candidate.
It is early to be on the air, but this is a smart move for Ford. On one level, it gets the congressman some mileage out of his recent trip to the Middle East and the upcoming Fourth of July holiday. On another, it begins to define him for voters outside of his Memphis-based congressional district. And, perhaps most important, it changes the subject. On the day Ford announced his Senate bid, his uncle, state Sen.
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