Washington - With recent polling showing voters trusting President Obama and congressional Democrats to protect and strengthen Medicare and Medicaid, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) today launched a $600,000 ad campaign in critical battleground state races to support candidates who will stand with working people and oppose cuts to these critical programs.

"We need leaders who will make investments in vital services like Medicare and Medicaid, not pushing plans that balance the budget on the backs of seniors and the middle class," said SEIU Political Director Brandon Davis. "At a time when America's workers are moving forward and trying to build their retirement savings lost during a recession caused by Wall Street's excesses, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and Congressional Republicans support legislation that would leave Americans facing increased costs, decreased coverage, or loss of coverage altogether."

In a new radio ad in Florida, a senior citizen asks her adult son to help explain where Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan's really stand on Medicare and what their plans mean for the future. The ad, which details some of the devastating impacts of the extreme Romney-Ryan plan, directs listeners to learn the truth for themselves at http://www.medicareromneyryan.com/ and is the second radio ad of an extended radio campaign targeting Florida seniors that began with the Republican National Convention in Tampa. Both ads can be heard at http://www.medicareromneyryan.com/.

In Michigan's First Congressional District, SEIU's new TV ad in the Traverse City-Cadillac and Marquette media markets highlight Republican Congressman Dan Benishek's vote to end Medicare as we know it by supporting the extremist budget proposed by Congressman Paul Ryan. The bill would have cost seniors $6,400 more per year while protecting tax breaks for millionaires. The ad can be viewed here: http://youtu.be/BPgqOzn1rbo.

SEIU's TV ad in the Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News media market discusses Second District Republican Congressman Scott Rigell's votes for Congressman Paul Ryan's extremist budget and vote to raise the retirement age for Social Security to 70. Rigell also opposes helping seniors close the "donut hole" in their prescription drug coverage under Medicare while cutting Medicaid funding in half, endangering long-term care coverage for seniors and those with disabilities. The ad can be viewed here: http://youtu.be/CTQoibncJTM.

Scripts -

Radio Spot (Florida) http://www.medicareromneyryan.com/

Man: Hello?

Mom: Jeffrey, it's your mother.

Man: Hey mom, how are you?

Mom: I'm good.

Man: What ya doing?

Mom: Well I've been watching TV all day but it's been making my head spin.

Man: What'ya mean?

Mom: All these ads about Medicare, it's very confusing.

Man: I've read about it, what do you want to know?

Mom: What's the truth about Romney and Ryan?

Man: Well the Romney Ryan plan does essentially end Medicare, that's what the Wall Street Journal said.

Mom: I don't like the sound of that.

Man: What I read said seniors would wind up paying over $6000 dollars more per year.

Mom: That's a fortune to me.

Man: And Romney would make drastic cuts to Medicaid too, you know two-thirds of seniors rely on Medicaid for nursing home care?

Mom: Boy, that's scary.

Man: Here mom, I'm on my computer, go to this website, Medicare Romney Ryan Dot Com and have a look for yourself.

Mom: Okay hon, take care.

DISCLAIMER: Paid for by SEIU COPE, SEIU.org, which is responsible for the content of this advertising. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

No Harm (Michigan First Congressional District) http://youtu.be/BPgqOzn1rbo

First do no harm.

That's supposed to be the physician's creed.

So when he first got to Congress, why did Dan Benishek vote to end Medicare as we know it?

And stick seniors with a bill for sixty-four hundred dollars a year?

All while protecting tax breaks for millionaires?

Whatever happened to "Do No Harm"?

When it comes to protecting Medicare, Dan Benishek is a prescription for disaster.

SEIU-COPE is responsible for the content of this advertising.

Closer (Virginia Second Congressional District) http://youtu.be/CTQoibncJTM

Take a closer look at Congressman Scott Rigell's record on seniors.

Rigell wants to raise the retirement age to 70.

He opposed Medicare prescription drug benefits...

And wants to end Medicare as we know it, costing seniors $6,400 more a year for healthcare.

And Rigell wants to cut Medicaid in half, denying long term care coverage for the elderly and people with disabilities.

For seniors, Scott Rigell is a tough pill to swallow.

SEIU COPE is responsible for the content of this advertising.

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