The National Republican Senatorial Committee, a GOP group that runs independent ads in Senate races, has put out a Web video attacking state Sen. Kay Hagan's record on bipartisanship and the state budget.
What it says: Hagan is shown in a grainy video from a recent debate: "I know how to work across party lines. I've chaired the state budget for the last five years. … I've gotten those results here in North Carolina by working across party lines, by ending the partisan bickering."
As ominous music plays, the screen shows a quote from a Greensboro News & Record column: "Hagan's pitch for bipartisanship in Washington also fell flat. Her timing was bad because state Senate Democrats had just denied Republicans the chance to debate their budget on the floor."
Hagan is quoted again: "I've chaired the state budget for the last five years. … We've got to elect people who are willing to work across party lines to end the partisan bickering to get things done in this country."
The screen then shows a line from a recent News & Observer article: "Year after year, leaders in the Democrat-controlled state Senate use the rules to close off debate and limit budget amendments." Then Hagan: "You only need to look at the kind of state senator I’ve been for the last 10 years to see what kind of U.S. senator I'll be." The screen: "You can say that again."
The background: Hagan co-chaired the state Senate Appropriations committee from 2003 to 2007 and served in an advisory role for the 2008 budget. Throughout that time, Democrats controlled the Senate.
In recent years, the Senate has spent far less time debating the budget and considered far fewer amendments than the House. Senate Republicans complain that Democratic leaders often cut off debate before they have had time to speak or put forward all their proposed changes.
Democrats defend the process, saying it protects them from amendments meant to force a controversial vote that can be used against them in election season.
This year, the Senate debated the budget for less than an hour, considering only one GOP-sponsored amendment. Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand then moved to end debate before Republicans could speak.
The measure passed along party lines, with Hagan voting to end debate.
"Republicans had virtually no chance to amend the bill or speak to its merits on the floor, with the exception of a measure that would study the effectiveness of state-funded pre-kindergarten programs," wrote the Greensboro News & Record.
Hagan's campaign said that Republicans had the opportunity to amend the budget in committee meetings. They also noted that she has frequently cosponsored bills with Republicans and said she has stood up to Democratic leaders on some issues.
Is the ad accurate? Yes.
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