Anti-Dole ad highlights high gas prices

A new radio ad attempts to tie U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole to high gas prices.

The minute-long ad by liberal 527 group Majority Action is airing on radio stations in Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington this weekend.

Noting the upcoming Fourth of July holiday with the sound of fireworks, it argues that Dole voted against higher fuel mileage standards in 2003.

"Gas prices are over $4 a gallon, and if you’re traveling this holiday weekend one person you can thank for your higher fuel costs is Elizabeth Dole," the narrator says as ominous music plays.

Dole voted against an amendment that year to an energy bill that would have mandated increased mileage standards, though she voted for another amendment that would have directed the Secretary of Transportation to raise them instead.

Dole's rival, state Sen. Kay Hagan, says she is not involved in the ad, and Majority Action says the ad is not intended to influence the Senate race.

But Dole's campaign has called on Hagan to disavow outside advertising.

A transcript after the jump.

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(Sound of fireworks)

NARRATOR: Gas prices are over $4 a gallon, and if you’re traveling this holiday weekend one person you can thank for your higher fuel costs is Elizabeth Dole.

In July of 2003, Dole voted against raising fuel mileage standards for our cars and trucks. If Dole had voted to raise mileage standards then, they would be taking effect today and North Carolina families could be saving $1,600 or more on fuel costs every year.

Dole has also taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign cash from the oil and gas industry and voted to give oil company giants like ExxonMobil billions in tax breaks.

Call Elizabeth Dole at 866-420-6083 and tell her to stop voting with Big Oil and start working for us.

Paid for by Majority Action.

(Sound of fireworks)