(CNN) - The already-contentious North Carolina Senate race took a brutal turn Wednesday after incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Dole released a television ad suggesting challenger Kay Hagan is "Godless."
“A leader of the Godless Americans PAC recently held a secret fundraiser for Kay Hagan,” the 30-second ad says before showing clips from members of the group declaring God and Jesus do not exist.
“Godless Americans and Kay Hagan. She hid from cameras. Took godless money,” the ad's narrator also says. “What did Kay Hagan promise in return?”
Watch: Dole hits airwaves with 'Godless' ad
The ad ends with an unidentified female voice declaring, "There is no God."
The Dole campaign says it's basing its charge on Hagan's attendance at a fundraiser that was in the home of an advisor to the Godless Americans’ political action committee, a group that promotes rights for atheists.
In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Hagan said she has never heard of the Godless PAC "before Lydie Dole sent out a press release on this," and said the fundraiser in question had more than 40 hosts, including Sen. John Kerry. She also said she has contacted her lawyers to issue a cease-and-desist order on the commercial.
"I am absolutely appalled at Elizabeth Dole's vile tactics," Hagan said. “This is politics of the worst kind, and I know it has been rejected by North Carolinians at every level. It is so unbecoming of a woman like Elizabeth Dole. This is a fabricated, pathetic ad."
Hagan went on to strongly defend her faith: "I am a Sunday school teacher, I am an elder at First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, my family has been going to this church for over 100 years, I have raised my children there. I have been involved in youth missions."
A National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman defended the ad.
"Kay Hagan recently attended a fundraiser held in the home of a founding member of the Godless Americans PAC," Online Communications Director John Randall said. "Now Hagan believes it is unfair to associate her with the group even though the soiree raised her thousands of dollars in campaign cash. I guess money is more important to Hagan than principles."
Recent polls suggest Hagan - a Democratic state senator from Greensboro who began the race at a major money disadvantage to Dole - is now leading the incumbent slightly with only days remaining before Election Day.
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help | CNN Newsource | License Footage
Whats upsetting to me is that we have essentially made a belief in a CHRISTIAN GOD a requirement to be President of the United States and I can guarantee the founding fathers did NOT want that to happen.
This is terrible. How the desperation of some people will cause them to behave! Now we have to debate whether or not there is a God, or who's religious beliefs are right to get elected?
This country was FOUNDED on religious freedom!
Disgusting. I hope Dole goes down in flames.
Obama is simply another "TV evangelist," a cult-like leader with a cult-like effect. Are we all tired of TV, and commercials, all talks and empty promises? American people are smart enough to ask hard questions, who is the real Obama, his past records, past history, real birth-certificate, real citizenship, any government-achievements, foreign policy, big spending, big-well-fare-system, experiences, readiness, liberalism, connection to the extremists, liberal leftist viewpoint, flip-flopping and ideology, along the traditional family values of our founding-fathers?? We the people derserve to know the truth, and the whole truth. By the way, who is Rashid Khalidi?
Shows how desperate the Republican's are getting.
What a piece of slime ad. I think this may be illegal.
Obama is simply another "TV evangelist," a cult-like leader with a cult-like effect.
taking a page out of Jesse Helm's campaign book now isnt she? sounds desperate.
Downright disgusting politics. The GOP has no low. That's why all their butts are getting voted out.
Shameful! GOP = God (or should that be Greed?) Over Principles.
This will backfire.
Politics & Desparation – is a scary duo – is it not!
Liddy Dole had don't nothing for the state of North Carolina and has only been back to the state for 30 days in 2 years.. she voted for Bush 92% of the time and ranks 93th in the senate of effency.. Vote Hagan
WOWOW.
I THINK THE MESSAGE IS CRYSTAL CLEAR NOW:
REPUBLICANS ARE TRULY A GODLESS, HEARTLESS PARTY.
POWER TRUMPS MORALS AND VALUES ANY DAY OF THE WEEK WITH THESE FOLKS
-CNN POST THIS-
Desperate times cause for desperate measures. So Lizzy is dipping her toe in the mud as well.
Let this be a lesson to all Republicans, if you lie down with snakes you get bit. Snakes like Karl Rove have two things in mind, greed and power. The last thing on their minds is what's good for America.
Throw all the bums out, even if they're wearing a skirt.
Obama/Biden 08
Fear and Smear is all they have.Let the voice of the people be heard that we don't need fear or smear in our lives.
The ad sounds accurate all the way around.
do people in the republic party ALWAYS have to resort to lies, spin, and smear....... ALWAYS???
can't they EVER just run because they think THEIR POSITIONS are better than the other person's???
aren't you all just TIRED of this garbage?
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Elizabeth Dole is extremely desperate.
One more GOP Senate seat to fall soon...
God hates Republicans because Republicans hate people for not conforming to their beliefs.
The Republicans will stop at nothing! Why am I not surprised?
>
> Pull out of Iraq? Perhaps the U.S. should pull out of Chicago!
>
> Body count in the last six months:
> 292 killed (murdered) in Chicago; 221 killed in Iraq.
>
> Chicago.... Who Runs it:
> Senators: Barack Obama & Dick Durbin
> Rep: Jesse Jackson Jr.,
> Illinois Gov: Rod Blogojevich,
> Illinois House leader Mike Madigan,
> Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan (daughter of Mike), Chicago Mayor
> Richard M. Daley (son of Mayor Richard J. Daley)
>
> .....Our leadership in Illinois .....all Democrats.
>
> Thank you for the combat zone in Chicago. Of course, they're all
> blaming each other! Only because they cannot blame the Republicans;
> they're aren't any!
>
> State pension fund $44 Billion in debt, worst in country.
>
> Cook County's (Chicago) sales tax 10.25% – highest in country (look
> it up if you want).
>
> Chicago school system rated one of the worst in the country.
>
> This is the political culture that Obama comes from in Illinois.
> And, he's gonna 'fix' Washington politics for us and 'change' it, too!
>
>
> Wake Up America !
That's sort of shady... I don't know about that Hagan character.
I'd also like to thank Campbell Brown for her observation about Obama's lying about campaign funding. He lied when he said he would take it and curb fundraising. Well, after he realized what an advantage he had with overseas donors, he went back on that promise.
What else is he lying about?
When God is for you the Devil can not do you any harm.
This why the republicans need to be out of government...just appalling tactics
Godless- Definitely a Democratic staple....