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Oops! Attack Ad Hits the Wrong Salazar

The anti-abortion group Americans United for Life is urging voters to toss out Congressman Ken Salazar this election cycle.

The only problem is, there is no Congressman Ken Salazar.

Colorado Rep. John Salazar is one of 12 Democrats targeted by the conservative-leaning group as part of an advertising blitz before Election Day. But AUL confused Salazar with his brother, former Colorado Sen. and current Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, in a radio ad that went live this week.

“Congressman Ken Salazar voted for taxpayer-funded abortions” in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) health care bill, the radio announcer says in the ad, obtained by Roll Call. “Ken Salazar says he shares our values when he’s running for re-election here at home, but in Washington he votes for the largest expansion of taxpayer-funded abortions ever.”

In total, the 60-second spot blasts “Ken Salazar” five times.

Ken and John Salazar, who won their respective Senate and House seats in 2004, were frequently misidentified when they served together on Capitol Hill. The affable brothers took the mixups in stride, but in the most recent case with AUL, Rep. Salazar isn’t laughing.

“That’s how inaccurate this ad is — they can’t even get John’s name right,” spokeswoman Tara Trujillo said.

AUL spokesman Matthew Faraci said in an e-mail, “The radio production firm that we hired made an error,” and that the advertisement has been pulled from radio stations in the western Colorado district. A corrected version properly identifying Rep. John Salazar should begin airing shortly, according to the spokesman.

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