Carl Brizzi for Prosecutor

Marion County - Many of the campaign dollars raised in this year's Marion County prosecutor's race will go to television ads. It is the newest ad from Democrat Melina Kennedy that has Republicans bothered.

Prosecutor Carl Brizzi frequently says his opponent Melina Kennedy lacks experience in the court room. Kennedy's newest campaign ad showing her in court with a witness and a judge hits a nerve with Marion County Republicans.

"It is a lie intended to mislead the public into believing she is someone who she is not," said Ryan Vaughn, Marion County Republican Party.

County Republicans say Kennedy has no experience and has not been tested like prosecutor Brizzi. "This commercial is not a dramatization of events that have occurred. Rather, it is a fabrication of events that never occurred," said Vaughn.

"It would have been great to do this at the Indiana Supreme Court where I worked for two years and helped review serious criminal cases, but obviously we can not use that court," said Kennedy.

Kennedy says she's worked on both criminal and civil cases and the TV ad she says is a positive message about her experience. "I have interviewed witnesses under oath both in court and in depositions. My opponent has got to lighten up a little here. It is a commercial and we have to talk about serious issues like crime."

Even though Kennedy's TV spot is all about her, county Republicans want her to pull the commercial. The Kennedy campaign says that won't happen. We will likely see more commercials from Brizzi and Kennedy in the coming weeks leading up to Election Day.

Election Guide 2006