1st WATCH: NRCC: Gabby's A Role Model, Barber's Not; Gabby's Response: Bull!; Giffords' Group Passes $1M In Barber's Defense (FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS)

The National Republican Congressional Committee ("NRCC") released a new ad yesterday praising former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords as an independent role model, in order to slam her hand-picked replacement as the opposite.  Giffords promptly excoriated the GOP's attempt, and will undoubtedly step up efforts to re-elect Rep. Ron Barber (D-CD2).

The NRCC's ad, titled "Follower", spends the first third praising Giffords - who served roughly the same district for 2 1/2 terms before retiring after an attempted assassination attempt and mass shooting that killed six and wounded 11 others besides Giffords and Barber.

It then slams Barber for voting for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker (Giffords had cast a symbolic vote against Pelosi and for civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis, just before being shot) and for not voting for a GOP spending bill that would have increased some border security funding.

Giffords wasted no time telling Politico that the NRCC - or any other party or person, for that matter - "should think they can come to Southern Arizona and pretend to speak for me.”  The rest of her statement was as blunt in her praise for Barber: "“I work hard to speak, but it’s my voice. So take it from me: Ron is an independent leader in Congress, and no one will fight harder for our community.”

Giffords and husband Mark Kelly former Americans for Responsible Solutions, and re-electing Barber has been their top priority.  Last week, they spent another $200,000 on mailers for southern Arizona voters. That brings the total ARS spend on the district to more than $1.1M.  (The NRCC has spent $1.6M.)

  Americans for Responsible Solutions, anti-Mcsally Mailers 1004

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