Newt Gingrich plans to release a new television ad Thursday, in what the campaign is describing as a bid to play up the former Speaker's refusal to go negative at a time when many of Gingrich's opponents have been on the attack. The ad's release coincides with the last Iowa debate Thursday night before voters go to the caucuses in January.
"The advertisement builds upon Newt’s commitment to running a positive, solutions-oriented campaign and sticks to his pledge not to run attack ads, while still defending against false attacks and reminding voters of Newt’s record as conservative reformer," Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond said in a statement.
The ad, which begins with Gingrich speaking directly into a camera, seems to directly confront a recent wave of attacks from opponents. Ron Paul and Mitt Romney have both been particularly vocal critics of Gingrich, with Paul airing a series of ads on Iowa television questioning the former Speaker's ties to troubled mortgage giant Freddie Mac and the healthcare industry. Another calls Gingrich a "serial hypocrite."
“These are challenging and important times for America. We want and deserve solutions. Others seem to be more focused on attacks rather than moving the country forward. That’s up to them," Gingrich says.
Paul has defended the ads, arguing they simply underscore substantive policy differences.
"I think pointing out people's positions is not negative ... if the media won't talk about a person's record, then the candidates have a responsibility to point it out," Paul said Wednesday to CBS News.
Negative or not, Paul's campaign seems to be succeeding, with the latest spate of polls showing him within striking distance in the Hawkeye State.
Gingrich pivots from his critique of negative advertisements to playing up his record as Speaker as the commercial cuts to scenes of Americans at work.
“I believe bold ideas and new solutions will unleash America’s creative spirit. When I was Speaker, our budget was balanced and 11 million jobs were created. We can do it again and rebuild the America we love," Gingrich continues.
The final Iowa debate will air Thursday night at 9 p.m.
