All eyes on McClintock
If he runs for House, rival Ose has ads ready

By David Whitney - dwhitney@mcclatchydc.com
Last Updated 5:56 am PST Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Story appeared in the Sacramento Bee, MAIN NEWS section, Page A3

WASHINGTON – State Sen. Tom McClintock has yet to declare he will run for the U.S. House seat being vacated by Roseville Republican John Doolittle. But the campaign of former Rep. Doug Ose is already preparing a television advertising blitz should McClintock enter the field.

Spokesman Doug Elmets said the Ose campaign will launch a $500,000 ad campaign immediately upon McClintock's anticipated announcement. The ads will tout Ose's credentials rather than assail McClintock, Elmets said.

"Doug Ose is committed to this race and to making people aware of his views," Elmets said. "He's got the resources it will take to get his message out."

The new ad campaign comes on top of a series of television and radio ads Ose launched two weeks ago announcing his candidacy.

McClintock, a leading California conservative and a former GOP gubernatorial candidate, announced last week that he is seriously considering a run for the Doolittle seat. But he has given no indication of when he may decide.

Republican activists at last weekend's state party convention distributed "Run, Tom, Run" stickers and displayed a large "Draft Tom" poster for supporters to sign.

A multimillionaire, Ose spent nearly $1.5 million from his own pocket to