Sen. David Perdue (R., Ga.) called Democratic opponent Jon Ossoff a threat to the American dream in his first televised campaign ad of the 2020 election cycle.
"Contrary to what the radical left is saying, America has been and still is the greatest country in the world," Perdue said in the ad, released Wednesday. "Many Americans have died defending it. Now it's up to us to protect what the rest of the world envies. Economic opportunity for everybody. Limited government. Individual liberty. I will not let Jon Ossoff destroy the American dream for our children and our grandchildren."
Perdue's campaign told the Washington Free Beacon the ad sought to show a distinction between Perdue and the "socialist agenda" favored by Ossoff. Among Ossoff's policy positions are support for a state-run "public option" for health insurance, sanctuary cities, and reentering the Paris Climate Accords.
"Senator Perdue's opponent is a privileged liberal beholden to radical donors in California and New York who want to perpetrate a socialist agenda on the people of Georgia," Perdue communications director John Burke said. "Our campaign will continue to hold the left accountable for their lawless schemes that would destroy our health care system, strip funding from law enforcement, and cripple our economy for generations."
Ossoff is challenging Perdue in one of two U.S. Senate races in Georgia this year. The 33-year-old clinched the Democratic nomination last month. Perdue was first elected in 2014 and has since voiced strong support for President Donald Trump.
Perdue also released an ad on Wednesday called "Justice" that spotlighted his opposition to defunding police departments and praised the "vast majority" of police officers as honorable. He said he supported reforms like increased body cameras and deescalation training.
Perdue backed the Republican police reform bill that Senate Democrats blocked in June.
"We need to put politics aside and get this done," Perdue said in the ad.
Ossoff goes unmentioned in the ad, but Perdue attacked him in June after Ossoff called for federal statutes governing local police departments. The Democrat also said funding for departments that violated those hypothetical laws should be "on the line." However, Ossoff has also said he does not endorse defunding police, but would "reform" and "demilitarize" departments.
Perdue spokeswoman Casey Black said at the time that Ossoff was "two-faced" on the issue.
Ossoff, who has never held elected office, is best known for his failed 2017 bid in Georgia's Sixth Congressional District special election. He raised $30 million in the race but lost to Republican Karen Handel.