Sen. Goodman and Auctioneer Long listen to Sen. Gary Nodler address the crowd in Neosho. (PoliticMo Photo/Natalie Preston)
(SPRINGFIELD, Mo.) Congressional candidate Billy Long will be airing the first candidate sponsored negative ad in the GOP primary, just 6 days before Missourians head to the polls.
Following an ad released Monday by the Virginia based firm ‘Americans for Job Security,’ Long says he wants to “set the record straight.”
“Gary Nodler and Jack Goodman’s Washington buddies are running false ads attacking Billy Long. Why? Because they are career politicians. Big spenders who oppose eliminating earmarks,” a female narrator says, to the tune of ominious music.
Long said to PoliticMo on Wednesday, “I’m simply pointing out the truth. They’ve got their Washington buddies running a negative ad that is frankly a lie against me. I’m setting the record straight.” He says, “It’s a fact that they voted for a $100 million tax credit for one St. Louis developer and it’s a fact that neither has ruled out earmarks. I have. I think its important for voters to have all the information before they vote.”
The announcer alleges Nodler and Goodman “voted to spend $100 million of your tax dollars on one St. Louis developer.” The announcer says, “If you’re fed up with false ads and politicians who waste your tax dollars, the choice is clear” She calls Long, “The true conservative for Congress.”
Senator Gary Nodler, one of Long’s main opponents, said Wednesday afternoon, “apparently Billy Long feels like he’s behind and he has to try to attack his compeditors with untruthful allegations. There’s no $100 million appropriation for any St. Louis developer.”
Nodler suggests, “He’s referring to a land assemblage program for the city of St. Louis which authorizes tax credits for a redevelopment of a certain area. The assumption is it will return revenue to the state when the zone is revived.” He says there is “no appropriation to any individual developer.”
Nodler said, “what ever he’s done here isn’t set the record straight. His failure to respond to the ad, really, confirms it’s accurate.”
Long doesn’t agree. “The airport board doesn’t vote on earmarks. This isn’t even an earmark, it was a grant. What I voted for was to award a contract to the lowest bidder.”
Long said, “I’m not the one who started running a false, negative ad. That’s what career politicians do. But its important that I set the record straight, I’m not going to let them lie about me. If they don’t want to talk about their record in Jefferson City, someone has to let the voters know. That’s what I am doing.”
Sen. Jack Goodman, Long’s other main competitor, has not yet been able to be contacted.
The ad has been removed from the internet. The transcript is as follows:
ANNOUNCER:Gary Nodler and Jack Goodman’s Washington buddies are running false ads attacking Billy Long. Why? Because they are career politicians. Big spenders who oppose eliminating earmarks. They even voted to spend $100 million of your tax dollars on one St. Louis developer. If you’re fed up with false ads and politicians who waste your tax dollars, the choice is clear. Billy long.The true conservative for congress.
BILLY LONG: I’m Billy Long and I approve this message to set the record straight.
email: eli [at] politicmo.com | phone: 417.597.3873 | twitter: @eyokley 
Well stated Eli…
First he pledges not to go negative, then does. He says he’s defending himself, but doesn’t mention ANYTHING about the accusation against him in HIS negative “washington style” ad. He says he’s ruled out earmarks but has earlier said “he can’t see in to the future” and may potentially vote for them…
This man is running the worst campaign I’ve ever seen in my entire life. He has NO business whatsoever being a Congressman and I hope the voters recognize that on August 3rd.
Once again we’re forced to choose between worse and worser.