Republicans’ lawless leaders at odds with midterm law and order message

Republicans running in next month's elections cast their party as tough on crime, despite top party names' legal scrapes

John Fetterman wants to release convicted murderers from prison," warns the narrator, as a black-and-white photo of Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor is shown beside pictures of convicted killers. A caption adds darkly: Socialist John Fetterman loves free stuff ... but we can't let him free murderers."

The campaign ad from Mehmet Oz, candidate for the US Senate in Pennsylvania, is vintage Republican strategy: casting a Democratic opponent as soft on crime. The party is zeroing in on fears over public safety ahead of November's midterm elections in an effort to change the conversation from abortion, climate or democracy.