The American Hospital Association has disclosed spending $212,000 on television advertisements praising Sen. Pat Roberts as he faces Milton Wolf in the Aug. 5 primary.
The association disclosed the spending in a report filed last week with federal regulators, with the bulk of the money buying advertising time. An association spokeswoman did not immediately return telephone and email messages.
Roberts' re-election campaign said the ads began airing statewide last week. The ads say Roberts is a leader on protecting rural health care.
Wolf's campaign said the association is a special-interest group that is part of what it called "an incumbent-protection racket" in Washington.
Roberts' campaign said the ads show Wolf doesn't have the backing of medical groups even though he is a radiologist.
Senator Pat Roberts has maintained a big fundraising advantage over Milton Wolf in their primary race. Roberts' re-election campaign says it had raised nearly $797,000 in cash contributions from April through June. Wolf's campaign reported raising almost $341,000.
