DCCC looks to protect Iowa Rep. Braley

 Days after the Democrats’ House campaign chief promised to go to “war” in Iowa’s first district, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is up with its first TV ad.

“Look around, times are tough. Ben Lange still stands with powerful special interests — where does that leave the rest of us?,” the announcer says in the spot targeting Rep. Bruce Braley’s (D-Iowa) Republican opponent.

DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md.) singled out Braley, who was elected in 2006, as someone who could expect help in the closing stages of the campaign. 

“He’s a member of Congress who understands campaigns, he fought a hard campaign and yet he’s seeing now $2 million” being spent against him in the district by outside groups,” the Maryland Democrat said at a breakfast last week. “So we’re going to war in that district’s race, despite the fact that I’m confident he’s going to win.”

This is the latest expenditure the DCCC has been forced to make in a normally safe Democratic district in recent weeks.

Braley’s also getting some help from Vice President Joe Biden, who will attend a rally in Dubuque on Friday along with Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) to help get the vote out.