Bob Sullivan Ad Hits Ernest Istook As "Liberal Big Spender"

Thursday, June 22nd 2006, 3:18 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Sullivan is handing out pink pig piInatas as he begins a television ad campaign calling Congressman Ernest Istook a big spending liberal.

Istook, Sullivan and state Senator James Williams are running for the Republican nomination for governor.

The ad started Friday and says Istook was elected to Congress as a conservative but has supported "pork" projects such as money to remove tattoos in California.

Istook campaign chairman Chip Englander calls the ad a clear violation of an agreement the three candidates made to not criticize fellow Republicans.

Englander says Sullivan is desperate and will say or do anything to win election.

Sullivan says the commercial doesn't violate the agreement which he says calls for support of the winner of the GOP primary and to make sure any criticism of a fellow Republican is based on facts.