WASHINGTON – Underdog Ron Paul is airing the first TV ads of his presidential campaign, hoping to capitalize on a fundraising surge and promote his blend of anti-war, anti-spending libertarianism in New Hampshire.
The two 30-second spots are part of a $1.1 million series of five ads that the Republican congressman intends to air in the state in November and December.
One ad, called "Catching On," features New Hampshire residents voicing their support, including a self-described undeclared voter who says he will vote in the Republican primary simply to cast a ballot for Paul.
The ad says nothing about Paul's stands on the issues and simply attempts to capture the interest he has been generating, particularly on the Internet.
The second commercial, "Troops and Deficits," spells out two central tenets of Paul's campaign -- getting U.S. troops out of Iraq and balancing the budget.
"I'm the only one in either party who's pledged to bring our troops home from Iraq immediately and cut government spending," Paul says, speaking directly to the camera against a backdrop of the preamble of the Constitution. "In Congress I've never voted for an unbalanced budget, and as president I'll veto any one that passes. Deficit spending threatens the dollar and our future prosperity. Once we stop wasting trillions overseas we can cut the budget and still help people who need it."
Paul gained attention this month when his campaign reported raising a surprising $5.2 million from July through September. He reported having $5.4 million in the bank, an amount that he has quickly put to use to build up his public identity.
He is the only Republican presidential candidate who has called for a quick exit from Iraq.
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