Republicans knock Markey on decades in House

{mosads}The attack is housed at OutofDatEd.com, which features a timeline that shows news events that happened during Markey’s three-decade-long run of service.

At 1976, when Markey entered office, the site features a photo of the Apple I computer, the first computer released by the early Apple Company. It goes on through the current day and notes pop culture and news moments throughout history.

The site also links to a video fashioned after an advertisement for a CD box set where viewers can learn about Markey’s “worst votes.”

“We’re talking about big spending, big taxes and weaker national defense. Take a look,” a narrator says.

The site will be promoted via targeted online advertising and email. It reflects what Republicans believe will be one of their strongest attacks on Markey: Labeling the congressman as an out-of-touch Washington insider who has spent too much time in Congress.

In comparison, Republicans will promote their nominee, Gabriel Gomez, as a “next generation leader,” as NRSC spokesman Brad Dayspring called him in an email to reporters.

“This campaign will be a choice of the past versus the future,” he wrote.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Justin Barasky responded with an attack on Gomez outlining his conservative record.

“National Republicans are going to have their hands full promoting a former super PAC spokesman who opposes a woman’s right to choose, sides with the big banks over consumers, and would support a Republican agenda that would cut Medicare and Social Security. Gabriel Gomez has built his enormous wealth on the backs of hardworking middle class families and tired political gimmicks can’t hide the fact that he is out of touch with Massachusetts,” he said in an email.

And Markey campaign spokesman Andrew Zucker again hammered Gomez on his connection to a group that criticized President Obama’s handling of the killing of Osama bin Laden.

“More than just your typical Republican, Gabriel Gomez is a guy who has championed the cause of outside money throughout his career. As the spokesman for a secretly-funded special interest group, he attacked President Obama over the killing of bin Laden, and he has refused to take the People’s Pledge or distance himself from a third-party attack group that’s spent more than $100k on ads smearing Markey on his behalf,” he said.

Markey won the party’s nomination Tuesday night in a rout over Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), while Gabriel also easily toppled former George W. Bush official Michael Sullivan and state Rep. Dan Winslow.

Republicans and Democrats both slung barbs late Tuesday night, with Democrats framing Gomez, a former Navy SEAL and local businessman, as “Mitt Romney Jr.” Republicans also hammered Markey on his tenure.

Democrats have been pushing Gomez to sign a pledge keeping outside money out of the race, but Gomez has not yet indicated he’ll do so. The lack of a “People’s Pledge,” as it’s called, could open the floodgates to a barrage of outside attacks on both sides, and potentially significantly shift the playing field.

–This piece was updated at 12:15 p.m. to reflect comment from the DSCC and Markey’s campaign.