Both Rep. Darrell Issa and his Democratic opponent tying each other to their party's leaders in ad wars in the surprisingly contested race in California's 49th Congressional District.
Republican Issa released an ad last week saying Doug Applegate "passed the Nancy Pelosi litmus test" for supporting liberal policies like a carbon tax, ultimately saying, "We can't afford him."
Issa released another ad highlighting his constituent work, especially with veterans, a direct appeal to the veteran and military community in the district, where the largest employer is Camp Pendleton.
Conversely, Applegate released an ad tying Issa to Donald Trump, saying he "gamed the system to line his own pockets."
Issa has faced a surprisingly tough re-election campaign after Applegate came within less than 6,900 votes of Issa in the state's primary where the top two winners of a primary compete in the general election.
Applegate also received support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
On Monday, Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call changed its rating of the race from Safe Republican to Republican Favored.
