During her 2004 primary challenge of Missouri's incumbent Democratic governor, Sen. Claire McCaskill made successful use of her opponent's private plane use through ads portraying him as a wealthy elitist.
McCaskill's campaign superposed pictures of former governor Bob Holden in a tuxedo and in front of a private plane, attacking him for his "lavish" lifestyle during the final weeks of her successful campaign to take his place as the Democratic candidate for governor.
McCaskill's charge was that Holden had used taxpayer money to fly private.
"I don't believe you would see Gov. McCaskill getting on a plane and heading to ball games saying that's official state business," her campaign told the AP for a story on her attack ads against Holden.
McCaskill would end up defending herself from a similar charge ahead of her her 2012 Senate reelection fight. She wound up reimbursing the $88,000 billed to taxpayers for flights on her plane and ended up selling the plane, though she bought a new one in 2013 after winning reelection.
She more recently has been caught misleading voters by saying she was on an RV tour of the state without disclosing that she ended each day of the tour by boarding her own private plane.
After defeating Holden, McCaskill was defeated by Republican Matt Blunt in the general election.