The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, a Democratic group that runs independent ads in Senate races, is airing a TV ad attacking U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole's effectiveness.
What it says: Portraits of all 100 sitting senators are shown as the camera zooms in on Dole. The ad then shows images of Dole speaking alongside high gas prices, a closed factory and the U.S. border. It ends with pictures of the Capitol and the Watergate, where Dole lives. A female narrator speaks: "A recent nonpartisan report ranks U.S. senators in terms of effectiveness. Where does Elizabeth Dole rank? 93rd. Senator Dole was ranked 93rd in effectiveness. Only six other senators ranked less effective. She can't fix gas prices from 93rd place or create jobs. And she sure hasn't fixed immigration from 93rd place. Elizabeth Dole. After 40 years in Washington, not as effective as you might think. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising."
The background: Since 2005, a Congressional data service called Knowlegis has ranked members of Congress on their power.
The nonpartisan company uses several measures: position in Congress, ability to indirectly influence colleagues through the media and actual effects on legislation. In 2007, it added the number and amount of earmarks secured.
In the first two years, Dole was in the middle of the pack, ranking 56th and 46th. But with Republicans in the minority last year, her effectiveness ranking plummeted to 93rd.
Because the Senate is run along party and seniority lines, Dole suffered as a first-term Republican, though others also elected in 2002 did not do as poorly, said Knowlegis cofounder Brad Fitch.
She fared poorly on the indirect influence measure, which tallies prominent mentions in major newspapers and stints on Sunday talk shows.
And she was hurt by her position on two committees — banking and armed services — that are not considered powerful but are important to North Carolina, home to a number of banks and military bases.
Dole did well on earmarks and her ability to pass legislation, however.
Knowlegis awards "sizzle points" as a bonus to high-profile senators who garner more attention than their colleagues, but it did not give Dole any for being a former presidential candidate, two-time Cabinet secretary and wife of a former senator.
"Almost every senator comes to the Senate with a pretty impressive resume," Fitch said.
Dole's campaign said that the ads were part of "an untruthful, negative and nasty campaign" by Democratic rival Kay Hagan, though the ads are being run by a third party.
"Senator Dole is a proven, effective leader for North Carolina while Mrs. Hagan only offers nothing but negative false attacks," said spokesman Dan McLagan.
Is the ad accurate? Yes, though even a senator with a higher ranking would have trouble fixing immigration or lowering gas prices on her own.
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Re: Claims Dept: DSCC on Dole's effectiveness
In the first two years, Dole was in the middle of the pack, ranking 56th and 46th. But with Republicans in the minority last year, her effectiveness ranking plummeted to 93rd.
AH YES! And at the time that her effectiveness was much higher, where were gas prices? MUCH LOWER! And where were grocery prices? About 100 bucks lower per month.