NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP -- The National Republican Congressional Committee has recently made an ad attacking Democratic Congressional candidate Gary McDowell's views on Medicare. McDowell claims the ad is deceitful, and his words were taken out of context.
The RNCC recently created this ad, using McDowell's own words against him.
In the ad, the narrator says, "McDowell says seniors cost too much at 'the end of life.'"
McDowell says his words were taken out of context.
"I think everybody is tired of these same old political attacks that take comments out of context. What I was talking about there was the need to keep health care costs down so we can provide more care and services to our seniors. What we really need to do is come together and protect and strengthen Medicare for our seniors, not force our seniors to pay $6400 a year more for their health care, for their Medicare, like Congressman Dan Benishek voted to do," said McDowell over the phone.
We asked Republican Congressman Dan Benishek about the ad during his visit to Houghton Thursday, but he said, "No, I'm not familiar with it to tell you the truth. I don't really watch that much TV. There's a lot of ads about me, too. I just don't watch them. I just try to do my job."
So we went to the source and contacted the RNCC who created the ad to get their perspective.
"Gary McDowell has made it very clear that he thinks seniors cost too much at the end of life. Northern Michigan families shouldn't be surprised that career politician Gary McDowell would be the first one to gut Medicare when our seniors need it most," said NRCC spokeswoman Katie Prill via email.
"It's a lie. I'm trying to strengthen Medicare, protect Medicare for our seniors in the future," McDowell said.
Benishek and McDowell are running against each other in a rematch for the First District Congressional seat in November.
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