President Obama's campaign on Tuesday released a new television ad hitting Mitt Romney, claiming his recent "47 percent" comments "attacked millions of hard-working people."
A similar ad is airing in Ohio, but the campaign is broadening its attack with the new spot, which is expected to air in 8 key battleground states.
The ad, titled "Fair Share," targets Romney for saying, at a closed-door fundraiser in May, that 47 percent of the country was "dependent" on government. The television spot also ties in those comments to Romney's recently released federal tax rate, which never fell below 13.66 percent over the last 20 years.
"When Mitt Romney dismissed 47 percent of Americans for not pulling their weight, he attacked millions of hard working people making 25, 35, 45 thousand dollars a year," the voiceover in the ad says. "They pay Social Security taxes, state taxes, local taxes, gas sales, and property taxes.
"Romney paid just 14 percent in taxes last year on over 13 million in income, almost all from investments," the ad continues. "Instead of attacking folks who work for a living, shouldn’t we stand up for them?"
Romney released his annual tax rate in a notarized letter from his tax preparer as a supplement to his 2011 tax returns on Friday. An additional memo from the campaign said Romney's tax rate had averaged 20 percent over the last 20 years.
Democrats have criticized Romney for not publicizing more than two years of detailed returns and over the lower tax rate he pays on investment income.
Romney, though, has brushed off Democrats' criticism, arguing that he has released sufficient information and charging the Obama campaign with trying to distract the public from more important issues.
The GOP nominee has said he paid all federal taxes owed, and his running mate Rep. Paul Ryan on Monday told voters that Romney would pay more if the ticket's tax reform proposals were implemented.
The new Obama campaign ad will air in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina and Virginia.
