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Sciortino launches playful ad, emphasizing liberal cred

In a new television ad for his congressional run set to begin airing Wednesday, Democratic state Representative Carl M. Sciortino underlines his liberal credentials in a playful back and forth with his father, who doesn’t share his left-of-center views.

With less than a month to go before the special primary election in the race to succeed Edward J. Markey in the US House of Representatives, Sciortino’s ad follows one that began airing today from one of his Democratic opponents, state Senator Katherine Clark of Melrose. That ad, featuring Clark and her mother, was the first TV spot aired by any of the candidates, according a Clark campaign official.

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The TV ads are a way for the Democratic candidates to differentiate themselves in a crowded primary field of seven contenders who share many of the same political positions.

“I’ll never forget that conversation with my dad,” Sciortino, who is openly gay, says looking at the camera with a smile, “where I had to come out and tell him —”

“Wait for this,” says Carl M. Sciortino, Sr., leaning back in his chair.

“That I was a — Massachusetts liberal,” the candidate says.

“And he’s proud of it!” the senior Sciortino says, leaning forward.

“Dad’s in the Tea Party,” Sciortino says, by way of explanation.

In the subsequent father and son repartee in the 60-second spot, they outline some of what the fifth-term state representative has done during his time on Beacon Hill and what he plans to do if he is elected to Congress.

The ad fits with the sweep of Medford Democrat’s political messaging since he kicked off his campaign for the Fifth Congressional District the day after Markey won a special US Senate election. He has worked to position himself to the left of his opponents.

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Matt Larson, Sciortino’s campaign manager, said his campaign would be spending “hundreds of thousands of dollars” on airing the ad between Wednesday and the special primary election on Oct. 15.

The other Democrats running in special primary election in the heavily Democratic District are: state Senators Karen Spilka of Ashland and Will Brownsberger of Belmont; Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian of Waltham; Martin Long, an Arlington author; and Stoneham resident Paul John Maisano, who works in the construction industry.

There are three Republicans running for their party’s nomination: actuary Tom Tierney of Framingham; Harvard nanophysics researcher Mike Stopa of Holliston; and businessman and lawyer Frank J. Addivinola Jr. of Boston.

The special general election is set for Dec. 10.


Joshua Miller can be reached at joshua.miller@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jm_bos.