Cropp Begins Airing TV Ads; Steele Does the Same in Maryland

D.C. mayoral candidate Linda W. Cropp unveiled a pair of television advertisements on network affiliates and cable channels yesterday, including one in which she paints herself as a responsible legislator and rival Adrian M. Fenty as overly ambitious and morally flawed.

Cropp (D) wasn't alone in launching her TV campaign three weeks before the Sept. 12 primary.

In Maryland, Republican Senate candidate Michael S. Steele bought $600,000 in airtime in the four television markets that reach viewers in the state. And in the Democratic race for comptroller, Del. Peter Franchot (Montgomery) and Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens, who are challenging William Donald Schaefer, will begin airing spots today.

Thomas F. Schaller, a political science professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, said candidates were waiting until most people returned from summer vacation to begin airing ads. "This is really the exact right time to be going on the air," he said.

Cropp's two 30-second ads mark the first time one of this year's D.C. mayoral candidates has paid for time on network affiliates. D.C. Council member Vincent B. Orange Sr. (D-Ward 5), who also is running for mayor, bought ads this spring on cable channels.

Fenty's spokesman, Alec Evans, criticized Cropp's TV ads in a written statement: "This is a continuation of the same type of negative campaigning that is turning District voters off."

Cropp, the council chairman, has attacked Fenty's record since late last month, shortly after a Washington Post poll showed her trailing Fenty (D-Ward 4) by 10 percentage points among likely Democratic voters. In direct mail, telephone calls, forums and radio ads, Cropp has criticized Fenty's performance as a lawyer and council member.

By comparison, Fenty has not mentioned Cropp in two mailings he has sent to voters, including one released yesterday that boasted about his record on education.

Fenty's staff said that he will begin shooting his TV ads today and that they will be broadcast next week.

Cropp's aides said she bought time this week on all four major network affiliates and on cable.

Information provided by the stations showed that Cropp purchased $75,000 of ad time from NBC affiliate WRC (Channel 4) through Sunday -- with ads airing during the "Today" show, evening news broadcasts, "Dr. Phil" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" -- and $30,600 worth on CBS affiliate WUSA (Channel 9), with ads appearing during the nightly newscasts and "The Price Is Right."

Other mayoral candidates -- Orange, retired business executive Marie C. Johns and lobbyist Michael Brown -- have trailed far behind in fundraising and polls.

In Maryland, Steele's ad is visually spare, with the lieutenant governor contending that he is not a Washington insider. "I know what you're thinking. I know what you're feeling. Washington has no clue what's going on in your life," he says. "Instead of the spin, I'll talk straight about what's wrong in both parties."

As with the bulk of Steele's campaign material, the spot never mentions that Steele is a Republican. Maryland Democrats said they were astonished by Steele's claim of outsider status, in that he served as the state's GOP chairman and worked on President Bush's campaigns.

"He's never made any bones about that," said Doug Heye, Steele's spokesman. "He's always said he'll talk straight about what's wrong in both parties."

Two of the Democrats vying to face Steele, Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin and self-financed political newcomer Josh Rales, have ads in circulation in the Washington market.

Staff writer Elissa Silverman contributed to this report.