INDReporter

Maness says he'll fight Washington's gators

by Patrick Flanagan

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rob Maness is on the airwaves in his bid to unseat Democrat Mary Landrieu.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rob Maness is on the airwaves in his bid to unseat Democrat Mary Landrieu.

Maness, a tea party favorite who has never run for office, released his first TV and radio commercials Thursday, a $50,000 ad buy.

Both have the same message, of Maness being unafraid to take on career politicians, which he likens to facing down alligators in a Louisiana swamp.

The TV ad features Maness riding an airboat and wrapping tape around an alligator's snout, as he talks about standing up to "big-spenders" and fighting to repeal the federal health care law.

Maness, a retired Air Force colonel whose fundraising has lagged behind GOP Congressman Bill Cassidy in the race, is one of three announced Republicans challenging Landrieu in the Nov. 4 election.