EMILY’s List targets female voters in NH Senate race

EMILY’s List, the group working to elect pro-choice Democratic female candidates, is launching a new online campaign targeted to female voters in New Hampshire, hammering Scott Brown on women’s issues.

{mosads}The new effort comes the same day the former Massachusetts senator officially launches his campaign against New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D).

According to details shared first with The Hill, the campaign, “Scott Brown, R-Whatever,” seeks to highlight how Brown’s record shows he’s “the wrong choice for women and families … anywhere,” a reference to his move to New Hampshire from Massachusetts just months before he launched his bid.

EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock said no matter where the former Massachusetts senator runs for office, he can’t escape his record on women’s issues.

“Brown may have moved to a new state, but he can’t hit the refresh button on his anti-woman record,” she said. “New Hampshire families know that he voted against equal pay, and in favor of defunding critical women’s health services and standing in the way of a woman and her doctor. And EMILY’s List will be in New Hampshire and wherever he decides to run next, to remind voters that he’s not on their side.”

The group plans to engage with voters in New Hampshire and its supporters nationwide throughout the race to highlight Brown’s past comments and votes on women’s issues, and to help raise funds for Shaheen.

Its first attack, however, focuses solely on his move to New Hampshire last year, which his critics have derided as an act of political opportunism and evidence Brown is in the race for himself, rather than the residents of the state.

It features promoted Twitter ads that are shots of his old tweets from his 2012 Senate campaign, with references to Massachusetts hastily scribbled out and replaced with the appropriate New Hampshire reference.

One tweet, which reads “Thank you to all who came to support my #masen campaign kickoff tonight in Worcester! #mapoli” with a shot of his kickoff event, crosses out “#masen,” “Worcester,” “#mapoli” and the date, and replaces them with “#nhsen,” “Portsmouth” and “nhpoli,” respectively.

EMILY’s List has engaged in every statewide race Brown’s run in over the past few years, and Democrats believe Brown’s difficulty responding to questions about his record on women’s issues was part of what sank him in his 2012 campaign against Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

They plan to again make those issues a central focus in the New Hampshire Senate campaign, an effort EMILY’s List believes will also help New Hampshire Democratic Reps. Carol Shea Porter and Ann Kuster, who are facing tough reelection fights as well.

Republicans believe Brown gives them a solid shot at defeating Shaheen, due to his fundraising abilities and the unpopularity of ObamaCare in the state.

An automated survey out from Democratic firm Public Policy Polling on Thursday, conducted for the pro-Shaheen League of Conservation Voters, showed a competitive race but Shaheen maintaining an 8-point lead, taking 49 percent support among New Hampshire voters to Brown’s 41 percent support. While Brown is underwater with voters by 14 points, respondents were about split on Shaheen’s job performance in the poll.