McGinty Takes On Toomey Over Donald Trump
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Less than 12 hours after winning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, Katie McGinty came under attack in a revolving door ad featuring an actress dressed up to look like McGinty.
"We must have Pat Toomey on the run that he would start with such negative campaigning, but I think voters see through that," McGinty told KDKA political editor Jon Delano on Wednesday. "Boy, if you're making such a fuss, you must have something to hide, and I do think it's Pat Toomey's record."
McGinty is locked in a tight race against incumbent Republican Pat Toomey, a race most see as a toss-up and a must-win for the Democrats to take control of the U.S. Senate.
McGinty sees Republican charges that she's "ethically challenged" as a distraction.
Delano: "Have you ever violated ethics rules?"
McGinty: "I certainly have not. And the record is very clear. I am not a lobbyist. I have never lobbied. What I have worked for throughout my whole career is creating jobs while protecting the environment."
"When it comes to the middle class, the senator has literally written a plan, not only supported one but written one, that would very significantly increase taxes on middle class families," adds McGinty. "So he's clearly trying to change the subject from his track record."
And McGinty says Toomey is tied to the likely Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump.
"We have a Trump-Toomey ticket, and Sen. Toomey has benefited directly from Donald Trump. Donald Trump has done fundraisers that have supported Sen. Toomey's campaign," she said.
Delano: "Are you calling on Pat Toomey to disassociate himself from the head of the Republican ticket?"
McGinty: "Well, I am, and I have been for a long time."
Besides returning Trump-raised dollars, McGinty says Toomey needs to reject what she calls Trump's un-American values
"Where are your values? Do your values lie in denigrating everyone from war heroes to women to Muslims to Mexicans to the pope himself? Where is Pat Toomey in saying that's not right?" she said.
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A spokesman for the Toomey campaign said Toomey has made clear he disagrees with Trump in several areas.
In contrast, says the Toomey campaign, McGinty is a "total rubber stamp for Hillary Clinton."
Both campaigns accuse each other of lying about the other.
With 27 weeks until the Nov. 8 election, this promises to be a long and negative campaign.