The National Republican Congressional Committee has launched a digital ad campaign targeting House Democrats on spending as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy meet at the White House Tuesday with congressional leaders for discussions on raising the debt ceiling.
The digital ad campaign is costing "five figures," according to an NRCC spokesman, who did not disclose the full cost of the spots, which claim that the incumbents' "reckless spending" has led the United States to the edge of financial default, reports Roll Call.
The ad accuses the Democrat lawmakers, of being "addicted" to spending, and says they have "maxed out our nation’s credit card with reckless spending, jacking up inflation to historic highs."
It adds that "they refuse to solve the spending crisis they created, voting against a common sense plan to tackle the government spending problem cut red tape, and curb our dependence on China."
"Extreme House Democrats demand to keep spending our money like drunken sailors or they'll tank the economy and allow America to default," NRCC Chair Richard Hudson commented in a statement. "Every House Democrat said no to addressing the spending crisis they created — if they won’t pay the tab they racked up, then they’ll pay at the ballot box."
The new ad also shows photographs of 35 members believed to be vulnerable, reports Roll Call.
It comes as part of a growing war in advertising between the parties over who is to blame for the standoff on raising the debt ceiling, but a Washington Post-ABC News poll last week showed the public is equally divided over who is responsible.
Biden and Democrats are calling for Republicans to pass a "clean" suspension of the debt ceiling, allowing money that has been appropriated to be spent, noting that the party approved several such suspensions when they controlled both chambers of Congress and former President Donald Trump was in office.
The NRCC's ad comes after a nonprofit group that is affiliated with the House Democrats started an ad campaign last month in New York's competitive districts claiming Republicans are "sinking us into recession" while risking default.