Rep. Rick Berg (R-N.D.) and his advisers most likely expected the week-old “Again” ad to conjure Rockwellian nostalgia for neighborly intimacy and small-town straight talk. How quaint. </p> <p>Instead, the Republican challenging Democrat <a href="https://heidifornorthdakota.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Heidi Heitkamp</a> for the seat being vacated by soon-to-be-chartless budget wonk Sen. Kent Conrad (D) has been ridiculed and berated by Web surfers who found the campaign spot laughable.</p> <p>One played the gender card:</p> <!-- wp:image {"align":"center"} --><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://cdn.videos.rollcall.com/hoh/Screen-shot-2012-08-01-at-5.03.28-PM-445x55.png?w=1024" alt="Mary Clinton critique of Berg's "Again" ad" /><figcaption>(YouTube comments)</figcaption></figure></div><!-- /wp:image --> <p>Others eviscerated the "Mean Girls"-like chatter:</p> <!-- wp:image {"align":"center"} --><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://cdn.videos.rollcall.com/hoh/Screen-shot-2012-08-01-at-5.06.33-PM-445x266.png?w=1024" alt="Skewering Berg's scriptwriting" /><figcaption>(YouTube comments)</figcaption></figure></div><!-- /wp:image --> <p>Some took offense to Berg's regional pandering:</p> <!-- wp:image {"align":"center"} --><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://cdn.videos.rollcall.com/hoh/Screen-shot-2012-08-01-at-5.04.01-PM-445x189.png?w=1024" alt="Slamming Berg's "North Dakota Way" line" /><figcaption>(YouTube comments)</figcaption></figure></div><!-- /wp:image --> <p>While a few chose to bask in the anticipated backlash:</p> <!-- wp:image {"align":"center"} --><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://cdn.videos.rollcall.com/hoh/Screen-shot-2012-08-01-at-5.04.40-PM-445x282.png?w=1024" alt="Questioning Berg's strategy" /><figcaption>(YouTube comments)</figcaption></figure></div><!-- /wp:image --> <p>A <a href="https://www.bergfornorthdakota.com/view/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Berg for Senate</a> aide declined to comment on the ad in question, stating only that North Dakota voters “are increasingly turned off” by personal attacks leveled against Berg by “Heidi, [Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid [D-Nev.] and their liberal allies.”</p> <p>May the best sound bite win.</p></body>
