Iowans still recovering from the frenzy of the presidential caucuses might be surprised to turn on their TVs this week and find the race has already returned.
John McCain's campaign today announced --they-->it would begin running a 60-second spot in the Hawkeye State focusing on McCain's health care plan. In --the ad-->"Health Care Action," a sedate McCain proposes solutions to help Americans pay for the rising cost of health care, including a $5,000 tax credit for every family. "There's many, many solutions to this problem," he says. "I think we can address them."
The spot complements McCain's focus on health care this week, echoing his campaign's message of the moment --in the same way-->just as his last ad on the economy immediately followed a key address on the economy and his series of bio spots appeared during his biographical publicity tour.
Iowa might not be the most obvious place to run a general election ad, but McCain's advisers have said they're not planning to run a traditional presidential campaign. By airing the spot in Iowa's inexpensive TV markets, the Arizona senator could pick up some discounted national media coverage if cable news networks pick up the story. And by targeting voters in a possible swing state, McCain is establishing himself early in what could be an expanded field of purple states, while also making amends for largely skipping the caucuses there.