DCCC invests in 1st District campaign, attacks Demmer in new ad

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) will run ads in Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District attacking Republican candidate Randy Demmer. The negative ad avoids mentioning the incumbent Democrat Rep. Tim Walz, instead accusing Demmer of advocating policies that would harm Social Security, a popular talking point among Democrats this cycle.

“Demmer supported partially privatizing Social Security,” the ad’s narrator states. “If his plan was in place during the crash we could have lost 40 percent of our retirement investments … So now who’s willing to gamble their retirement on Randy Demmer’s risky idea.”

This is the national Democratic group’s first outside investment in the seat. Walz had been viewed as relatively safe in spite of the predicted Republican wave, but the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC), began investing heavily in the seat earlier this month. Since the beginning of October, the NRCC has spent over $367,000 opposing Walz. The first independent poll of the campaign was released over the weekend, and though Walz held the lead, Demmer was within striking distance.

Patrick Caldwell is the American Independent’s Minnesota correspondent.