The Virginia Lottery pulled a controversial $1.2 million ad campaign Wednesday after state Democrats accused them of using public money to promote Republican George Allen's campaign for the U.S. Senate.
"This campaign was a complete misuse of public funds for political gain," said Mo Elleithee, incumbent U.S. Sen. Chuck Robb's press secretary.
Robb (D) and Allen (R), both former governors, are embroiled in a tight race for the Virginia U.S. Senate seat.
The ads that used state lottery funds highlighted the Commonwealth's Standards of Learning (SOL) testing program. The SOL program is considered the top educational accomplishment of Allen's 1993-1997 tenure as governor.
The series of tests in four subject areas sets goals and expectations for students and teachers in Virginia public schools.
They have taken on a political significance in this year's election, where education has emerged as a major issue.
"It seems suspicious that these ads appeared promoting the SOLs when new polls have appeared suggesting that people are losing faith in the SOLs," Elleithee said.
The ad campaign began airing in late September and was slated to run until Nov. 5, two days before the election.
Lottery Director Penelope Kyle announced Wednesday her office was pulling the ads. Her announcement came hours after Democrat Del. Allen Diamondstein sent a Freedom of Information Act request for detailed records and financial reports regarding the ads, including e-mail communications between lottery officials and Republican Gov. James S. Gilmore III's administration.
"We never had anything to do with the ads or the decision to pull them," Allen spokesman Tim Murtaugh said.
He added that it seemed "appropriate for the lottery board to advertise where the money is going."
"Republicans in Virginia will tell you that they don't like government ... but they do like politics, so when they're elected they use government for political gain," said Steve Vaughn, Virginia Democratic Party communications coordinator.
Responding to the Democrats' accusations of Republican partisanship in the education ads, Murtaugh said, "If Chuck Robb were making a successful case to be rehired by the people of Virginia, the Democrats would not be creating this diversion."
"We're glad that the Commission did the right thing," Vaughn said. The Republicans "got caught with their hand in the cookie jar again."
The ad debacle's political effect on a tight Senate race between Allen and Robb remains to be seen.
"The controversy threatens to do real damage to both Allen and Gilmore," said Larry J. Sabato, government and foreign affairs professor.
He added that it is important for Allen and Gilmore to "end the controversy - that's always the goal."
Murtaugh said the ads are not an issue in this year's campaign.
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