Things are heating up in the 5th District, where Republican congressional candidate Mark Greenberg has gone negative with his first TV ad.
The 30-second spot hits GOP opponent Sam Caligiuri hard. (Curiously, the ad ignores the third Republican in the race, Justin Bernier of Plainville. Caligiuri won the party's endorsement at a nominating convention in May and now all three men are competing in the Aug. 10 primary.)
Greenberg is a newcomer to electoral politics; his ad says touts his business experience. The Litchfield resident made millions running one of the largest real estate management firms in the Northeast and is using a chunk of that fortune to underwrite his political ambitions.
The ad starts by highlighting Greenberg's record as a "job-creator," as music tinkles pleasantly in the background. Then the announcer's tone turns menacing: "Politician Sam Caligiuri is a job terminator."