First DSCC ad in Arizona hits Flake on women's issues

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee launched its first ad in the Arizona Senate race on Wednesday, targeting Rep. Jeff Flake's (R-Ariz.) record on women's issues.

The ad, which was shared with The Hill, is a pitch by a woman directly to women, and it opens with a narrator asserting that "Jeff Flake is hoping we remain silent." Over photos of concerned-looking women, the narrator highlights what she characterizes as Flake's vote to de-fund Planned Parenthood and his efforts to "let insurers deny us needed medical care -- even breast cancer screenings our own doctors request."

"And he wants us to say nothing as he tries to change the definition of rape. But we have a voice. A say. And more importantly, a choice," the ad closes.

The argument that Flake tried to change the definition of rape is one the Arizona Democratic Party and Carmona's campaign has highlighted before, citing a bill Flake cosponsored that would have restricted the use of federal funds for abortions, but offered an exemption in cases of "forcible rape," which opponents of the bill said would drastically limit the definition of rape.

The "forcible rape" language was eventually removed from the bill, but Flake signed on as a cosponsor when the bill still included the language. Flake's spokesman Andrew Wilder told the Arizona Republic that Flake signed on to the bill, despite disagreeing with the language, with the knowledge that the final version of the legislation would be different from the original.

But it seems to be an issue that Democrats think could win them votes in a race that's been unexpectedly close. Though Arizona leans red and Mitt Romney has led President Obama in every poll since April, Carmona has kept Flake's lead to single digits in the past few polls, and led him by two points in the most recent survey of the race.

The 30-second spot is backed by a $526,000 buy, which was announced by the group last week.

Watch the ad:

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