The National Rifle Association is going on the air in a big way for the Wisconsin gubernatorial race, with a stark message: Vote for Scott Walker, or you will become helpless when a violent criminal invades your home.
The ad opens with calm and peaceful imagery of a mother putting her baby to bed in the crib. She exchanges texts on her phone, presumably with her husband, who has just landed safely in far away Miami.
Then suddenly, a shadowy criminal smashes through the front door. A female announcer says: "It happens like that — the police can't get there in time. Self-defense is up to you when it matters the most. Scott Walker has protected your right to self-defense. Vote like your safety depends on it. Protect your gun rights — re-elect Scott Walker."
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The ad could signal a shift as this race goes into the home stretch. The Capital Times points out that most of the advertising in this race so far has come directly from either the Walker campaign or that of his Democratic opponent, businesswoman Mary Burke. But with this spot — for which the NRA says it is spending more than $1 million — outside groups may be set to take over the TV ad war. --Eric Kleefeld
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