Today Democratic candidate Jim Mowrer started running his third television commercial across Iowa’s fourth Congressional district. In look and feel, the 30-second spot closely resembles Mowrer’s first and second television ads, featuring the candidate’s own voice and the same acoustic background music. While the previous ads focused on Mowrer’s public service, the new one mentions an earlier part of his biography: the family tragedy that cemented his commitment to preserving Social Security. I’ve posted the video and transcript after the jump.

Mowrer’s new ad does not mention six-term Republican incumbent Steve King by name. Rather, the Democrat says he disagrees with those who “want to weaken Social Security.” King has voted for the House Republican Study Committee budget, which would increase the Social Security full retirement age and put Social Security’s cost of living adjustments on the “chained Consumer Price Index.” (Bleeding Heartland has explained before why chained CPI would be disastrous for lower- and middle-income Social Security recipients.) More than 100 of King’s House GOP colleagues rejected the Republican Study Committee budget.

King has also repeatedly voted for House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan’s budget plans, though in recent years Ryan has backed off from Social Security cuts he once advocated.

To my knowledge, King has not run any radio or television commercials this year. Nor has he given the appearance of being worried about Mowrer’s challenge. His lackluster fundraising let Mowrer build up a financial advantage. In addition, King has been relying on his son and daughter-in-law to run the campaign, rather than the professionals he brought in to manage his 2012 re-election bid against Christie Vilsack.

Mowrer talked about his family’s experience with Social Security during his appearance on the Des Moines Register’s soapbox at the Iowa State Fair. He also noted that King has voted to raise the retirement age.

King focused on health care reform during his soapbox speech, calling Obamacare “a malignant tumor that is metastasizing and feeding upon America’s God-given liberty.”

Any comments about the IA-04 race are welcome in this thread.

P.S.- Like Mowrer, Representative Dave Loebsack (D, IA-02) grew up in a family that relied on Social Security survivor benefits to keep food on the table.

Mowrer for Iowa’s third tv ad, “Promise”:

My transcript:

Mowrer’s voice: I grew up on a farm here in Boone. [footage shows Mowrer in silhouette, standing in farm field near sunrise or sunset]

When I was seven, we lost my father in a farming accident. [Viewer sees photograph of Mowrer’s father holding him as a baby]

And the only thing that kept us from falling so far down that we couldn’t get back up was my dad’s Social Security survivor benefits. [View shifts to another family photo, showing Mowrer’s parents with him as a baby and his older sister as a toddler; then footage of Mowrer on a farm today, walking with his arm around his mother]

Some want to weaken Social Security. [footage of Mowrer sitting on front porch of house, talking with older couple]

I disagree. [footage of Mowrer nodding and listening as other older people talk with him]

Mowrer speaks directly to camera: I’m Jim Mowrer, and I approved this message, because in Iowa, we keep our promises. And in Congress, I’ll make sure that Social Security is a promise we’ll always keep. [Viewer sees Mowrer standing on farm with red barn in background. “JIM MOWRER” appears on screen, followed by Mowrer for Congress logo]