Republican congressional candidate Taylor Griffin has taken aim at his opponent, Rep. Walter Jones (R., N.C.), over his support for the Iran nuclear agreement in a new advertisement released on Thursday.
Griffin, a Republican seeking to unseat Jones, accuses his opponent of enabling the Obama administration’s pursuit of a nuclear deal with Iran.
The issue has emerged as a flashpoint on Capitol Hill in recent weeks following revelations that senior Obama administration officials established a massive press operation aimed at misleading the public and Congress about the contents of the deal.
"The president won’t say it but I will. Radical Islamic Terrorism. Let’s call it what it is. They’ve declared war on America and attacked our way of life," Griffin states in the ad, which will run on broadcast and cable television. "And our congressman, Walter Jones, is taking the president’s way. Congressman Jones empowered Obama to cut a deal with Iran. Jones caved to Obama, and Obama caved to Iran."
Jones was part of a 2012 effort by several lawmakers to encourage negotiations with Iran. He also co-sponsored a bill that sought to remove legal barriers preventing talks with Iran.
Griffin added in a statement that Jones should be held responsible for Iran’s ongoing regional intransigence, which includes the test firing of ballistic missiles and the funding of terrorism.
"The deal that Congressman Jones empowered President Obama to make provides Iran a $100 billion windfall to fund its terrorist proxies and threaten peace and stability in the region," Griffin said in the statement. "Last month, President Obama admitted that Iran was violating the spirit of the agreement, and just last week, Iran tested a ballistic missile capable of reaching Israel, the latest in a series of such tests conducted since the deal was implemented."
"Iran also recently test-fired a ballistic missile with the words ‘Israel must be wiped out’ written in Hebrew. Until Iran’s leaders cease changing ‘Death to America’ and threatening peace, there can be no lasting deal with Iran," he added. "As your Representative, I will stand with Israel and our allies around the world to make sure that the oppressive Iranian regime does not acquire weapons of mass destruction."
The ad will run on broadcast and cable television beginning today.