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Paul Ryan's Democratic Challenger Defends Running Ads Outside Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Democratic challenger to Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan is defending running television ads outside of Wisconsin.

Union ironworker Randy Bryce has an ad slated to run before Tuesday's State of the Union address in Wisconsin, San Francisco and Seattle. The move is being blasted by Republicans who say it shows Bryce is detached from Wisconsin and more interested in attracting out-of-state donors.

Bryce spokeswoman Lauren Hitt said Tuesday that the ads are running outside of Wisconsin because Ryan is a national figure and "one of the three most powerful elected officials in the country."

Bryce isn't spending much money on the spot.

Advertising Analytics says Bryce is spending $3,000 to run the ad in Wisconsin on MSNBC and CNN and just $500 to run it on MSNBC in Seattle and $1,000 in San Francisco.

(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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