Trailing in a recent poll 36 to 48 percent to Republican Incumbent David Vitter, Democratic challenger Charlie Melancon is going on the offensive. A new Melancon campaign ad on the web attacks Vitter for a vote the Democrats hope will portray the Senator as being anti-woman.
The Internet video tells the story of Jamie Leigh Jones, a Halliburton employee working in Iraq who allegedly was raped by co-workers. She was prevented from suing Halliburton because she signed a binding arbitration agreement. The Melancon campaign says Vitter voted against changing the law to let women who end up in Jones' situation sue their employers.
"It illustrates the importance of women voters in this election," says LSU political analyst Kirby Goidel.
Goidel says Democrats believe "that Vitter will be vulnerable in particular among women voters."
He says the ads don't directly mention the sex scandal involving Vitter's self-confessed "serious sin" in his past, and his connection with the D.C. Madam.
"I think it partly involves the sex scandal, that's certainly a key component of that," said Goidel. "It also involves the fact that women are more likely to be cross-pressure voters and may lean to the Democratic party on other issues."
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