FORT WORTH -- The political air wars are even hotter now that ads are airing for both candidates battling for the coveted Texas Senate District 10 seat.
On Tuesday, the first campaign ads for Republican state Rep. Mark Shelton of Fort Worth began airing on television, just days after incumbent Democrat state Sen. Wendy Davis released scripts of this and other yet-to-be-broadcast Shelton ads in this race, claiming the content was false."Shelton's first TV ad contrasts his conservative record and background as a pediatrician against incumbent Democrat State Senator Wendy Davis for her support of higher taxes, being financed by personal injury trial lawyers and Davis using her public office to peddle influence to enrich her law firm with lucrative public contracts," according to a statement from Shelton's campaign.The Davis campaign responded, noting that the senator has drawn support from teachers, parents, physicians, women, law enforcers, fire fighters, union groups, veterinarians and more."As expected, Mark Shelton opened his campaign with a false attack ad demonstrating that he does not trust voters enough to tell them the truth. Senator Davis is focused on making sure our public schools and jobs for middle class families take priority over the blind partisanship and special interest pandering favored by the Shelton campaign," said Zachariah Evans, communications director for the Davis campaign.Davis and Shelton - a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Cook Children's Medical Center and a two-term House member - are locked in a hotly contested battle for the state Senate District 10 seat that includes part of Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, Colleyville and other areas of south and Northeast Tarrant County.Davis' campaign released the campaign ad scripts last week after someone in Shelton's campaign gave them to a third party, who sent them electronically to the Davis campaign.In Shelton's "Contrast" ad that began airing Tuesday, a few words differ from the script Davis released last week.The ad begins by saying "In the race for state Senate, the differences are clear."It goes on to say that Davis supports higher taxes while Shelton co-authored a balanced budget without raising taxes. "Davis gets millions from job-killing personal injury trial lawyers; Shelton fights for job creating businesses," it says.Some of the phrasing is different from the script the Davis campaign released, now saying that Davis "profits from peddling her influence as a state senator," rather than saying she "is a local government lawyer lobbyist enriching herself off public service." But the ad goes on to say that Shelton "is a trusted pediatrician."It ends by saying "for lower taxes, more jobs and ethical leadership, Dr. Mark Shelton for State Senate."Davis last week refuted allegations made in this ad, including noting that she took no votes on higher taxes and saying that while she didn't vote for last year's state budget, it wasn't a balanced budget.She also has said she has "broad-based financial support" in her re-election bid."His ads expose a strategy built upon false and negative attacks designed to mislead and disillusion voters," Davis, an attorney, said last week. "There are many, many lies and distortions in the ads."The Davis campaign began airing TV ads late last month.Anna M. Tinsley, 817-390-7610Twitter: @annatinsleyHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
