Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), has said for months that the actions of one lawmaker do not affect the electoral prospects of another.

But Reynolds found himself in the middle of the House page scandal when it was revealed that he knew about an e-mail former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) had sent to a House page.

Reynolds’s wealthy opponent, Democrat Jack Davis, hit the airwaves pummeling Reynolds for putting his political security above the page’s safety. In his own ad to rebut the charges that he did not do enough to oust Foley, Reynolds apologized and claimed credit for forcing Foley to resign.

A survey conducted by Wilson Research Strategies for The Hill shows that most viewers found both ads unappealing but worth talking about, perhaps a signal of a classic negative advertisement that is at once repulsive and attractive.

Viewers gave Davis’s ad higher scores in terms of message, effectiveness and whether it was memorable. Lobbyists were the only group that awarded high marks to Reynolds and poor marks to Davis. All other groups — reporters, independent voters, retirees, public affairs consultants, congressional staff — preferred Davis’s ad.

Overall, 59 percent of viewers found Davis’s ad to be more effective and 40 percent of viewers think that Davis will beat Reynolds. Thirty-eight percent were undecided.

The Foley story ensnared Reynolds for weeks until a freak fall snowstorm pummeled Buffalo. Reynolds, outfitted in winter gear, was at New York Gov. George Pataki’s (R) side as he pleaded for federal relief and could be seen helping shovel snow across the district. The storm could be Reynolds’s best bet at winning a new term.

Working with The Hill for its Air War feature, Wilson Research Strategies e-mails campaign or issue ads to survey participants who view the ads and rate their effectiveness on several criteria.