WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican senator in a tough re-election race is attacking his top Democratic rival for supporting more Syrian refugees in the U.S., marking the issue’s first appearance in Senate campaign advertising.

In an ad released Tuesday, GOP Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois harshly criticizes Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth for voicing support for allowing as many as 200,000 Syrian refugees into the U.S. in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

The ad says Kirk opposes more Syrian refugees until they can be admitted safely.

His focus on the refugee issue highlights the Republican view that it can be a weakness for Democrats, especially those like Duckworth who opposed recent GOP legislation cracking down on the refugee program.

 

 

 

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