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Graves Ad Attacks Bachmann On Closed Paper Mill

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Democrat Jim Graves is attacking Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann with a new TV ad featuring workers who lost their jobs at a Sartell paper mill.

Graves started running the ad Wednesday on Twin Cities networks as he tries to upset Bachmann in Minnesota's 6th District in the northern suburbs and St. Cloud area.

The ad shows several workers who say they didn't hear from Bachmann after an explosion and fire led to the closure of Verso Paper Corp.'s mill, putting almost 260 out of work. One worker accuses Bachmann of being "too worried about her own career."

Bachmann's campaign is calling the ad "a false character smear" and says she has been involved since the explosion, including sending letters to Sartell residents offering help.

A Graves spokeswoman says the campaign is spending $60,000 on both the paper mill ad and another ad introducing Graves this week and about $240,000 next week.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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