Jason Delgado
With less than a week before Election Day, Democratic Rep. Loranne Ausley released a new TV ad Tuesday addressing the “Republican lies” being told to Senate District 3 voters about her campaign.
“I know you’ve heard all the Republican lies about me on TV, on radio and in your mailbox,” she says in the 30-second ad. “My campaign never took a dime of PPP money and in the Legislature, I fought for millions more in Hurricane Michael relief funding.”
Ausley continues: “I’ve dedicated my entire life to fighting for kids. Listen, I know we’re all sick of the lies. But we can end them all by winning on Nov. 3.”
The ad, titled “Lies,” underscores what has become one of the most contentious and expensive races in the state.
SD 3 voters have been inundated for months with attack ads against Ausley. Some ads allege Ausley wrongfully financed her campaign with federal coronavirus relief funds, others claim she neglected her constituents during a Hurricane Michael budget vote.
Throughout her campaign, Ausley has disputed the allegations and described them as strategies from “Trump’s playbook.”
SD 3 traditionally is a Democratic stronghold, and Ausley was considered a natural successor to term-limited Sen. Bill Montford. The Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, however, has spent thousands wagering that GOP newcomer Marva Preston can steal the seat.
Notably, a poll released Tuesday suggests the longtime Democratic lawmaker holds an advantage over Preston. According to the survey of 948 likely voters by St. Pete Polls, 51% said they voted or plan to vote for Ausley. Meanwhile, 44% said they voted or intend to vote for Preston and 5% described themselves as “undecided” in the contest.
Senate District 3 covers all of Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla counties in North Florida.
