Vernon campaign launches TV ad

CEDAR RAPIDS - The race for the Democratic nomination in Iowa's U.S. House 1st District moves to television today with Monica Vernon launching her first broadcast ad.

In a 30-second spot that will run across the 20-county district that includes Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, Dubuque, Marshalltown and Waterloo, the Cedar Rapids Democrat says she's running for Congress 'because we need to help grow small businesses, right here, in Iowa.”

Until now, Vernon and former Dubuque legislator Pat Murphy have concentrated on their ground games - courting Democratic leaders and activists likely to vote in the June 7 primary election. Adding television advertising to the mix is part of Vernon's strategy of reaching a broader range of Democratic primary voters, according to the campaign.

The ad, narrated by Vernon, who also appears on camera, draws on her background as a former small business owner. She founded Vernon Research more than 25 years ago while raising three daughters. The ad highlights Andy and Carrie Schumacher, who own and operate Cobble Hill, a downtown Cedar Rapids restaurant.

They're not special interests 'looking for perks or special tax breaks,” she says in the ad. 'All they're looking for is a fair shot.

'For too long,” Vernon says in the TV spot, 'Washington has been focused on helping the special interests - like Big Oil and Wall Street - at the expense of the middle class.”

She calls for investing in education, not oil companies, and protecting Social Security and Medicare, 'not tax loopholes for Wall Street.”

Vernon raised more than $335,000 during the first quarter of this year, bringing her fundraising total to $1.285 million for this election.

The winner of the June 7 Democratic primary will face Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, in the November general election.