Manufacturers target regulations and Sherrod Brown in Ohio

By Kevin Bogardus - 08/20/12 11:38 AM ET

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) on Monday launched a weeks-long television ad campaign against federal regulations in Ohio, a key swing state in the presidential election.

The business group has strongly opposed several regulations from the Obama administration, including an Environmental Protection Agency rule that would impose tough new pollution controls on industrial boilers.

The group’s ads features Steve Staub, the president of Dayton-Ohio based Staub Manufacturing Solutions and a member of NAM, criticizing the red tape he faces with his business.

“The regulatory agenda coming out of Washington is just not helpful,” Staub says. “Government regulations definitely add to the cost of product.”

The ad concludes by urging viewers to call Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and tell him that “manufacturing means jobs” and that he should “stand up for Ohio workers and manufacturers by saying no to costly new regulations.”

Brown is in a competitive Senate race against Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel (R). The Democratic senator has been the target of several political ads sponsored by conservative leaning outside groups this campaign season.

“The No. 1 concern right now for manufacturers is the unfavorable business climate due to regulations and taxes,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons in a statement. “Manufacturers in America face a 20 percent cost disadvantage compared to our major trading partners. This must change if we are going to create jobs and compete.”

A NAM spokesman said the ad campaign is "a significant six-figure buy" that will run for several weeks in Ohio.

Brown's campaign took exception to the NAM ad.

"There is no greater champion for manufacturing than Sherrod Brown, from his work to rescue the auto industry and it's 850,000 related jobs in Ohio to his work leading passage of his bipartisan bill to crack down on Chinese currency manipulation to protect jobs here at home, and no amount of outside spending can change that," said Sadie Weiner, a spokeswoman for Brown's campaign.

This story was updated at 3:07 p.m. with a response from the Brown campaign.