Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D., N.D.) on Tuesday released a new campaign ad touting a familiar message the senator hopes will win her reelection in 2018: her willingness to reach across the aisle and work with President Donald Trump on multiple issues.
The ad, titled "Answer," is Heitkamp's third of the current election cycle. It highlights how the senator, who first assumed office in 2013, has attempted to work across party lines to support some of Trump's initiatives, according to NBC News.
"When I ran for the Senate six years ago, I said I wouldn't vote the party line, because I don't think either party has all the answers," she says in the new ad. "That's why I voted over half the time with President Trump. And that made a lot of people in Washington mad, but when I agree with him, I vote with him."
Heitkamp's latest ad follows a Washington Post interview with hers Republican opponent, Rep. Kevin Cramer, who has been frustrated with Trump extolling Heitkamp with complimentary words.
"I do think there’s a little difference in that she’s a woman," Cramer said. "That’s probably part of it — that she’s a, you know, a female. He doesn’t want to be that aggressive, maybe. I don’t know."
Heitkamp has supported several of Trump's cabinet nominees, including CIA director Gina Haspel and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Critics, however, have pointed to a number of important votes when Heitkamp has stood firmly with Democrats.
In early February, she was slammed for giving what appeared to be a high five to Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) after she voted against a bill that would have banned abortion after 20 weeks of conception. Democrats were successful in blocking the measure.
She also voted against Republican tax reform that was signed into law by Trump at the end of 2017.
Vice President Mike Pence said at a private fundraising event in March that North Dakota "could do a whole lot better" than Heitkamp.