District 6 Campaign: The Ad Wars Begin [Video]

The general election season hasn't started yet, but in many races, attack ads have already been launched. And that includes the race for the Massachusetts 6th District congressional seat.

Congressman John Tierney this week released an Internet ad calling out Republican challenger Richard Tisei (who, while not officially the GOP nominee, is running unopposed for the nomination) for opposing the Social Security payroll tax cut.

The ad, complete with haunting, ominous music, starts with black text across the screen reading: 

"Massachusetts Families just filed their federal income taxes. If Richard Tisei had his way, they would have paid $1,290 more."

Then (dark melody still playing) it cuts to an interview Tisei had on NECN in which he discusses his objections to ther payroll tax extension.

“Richard Tisei is out of touch with middle class families,” Tierney campaign manager Matt Robison said in a statement following the ad's release. “Our families have made clear that the payroll cut is critical during these tough economic times, yet Tisei called the tax cut ‘gimmicky’ and vowed to vote against it."

Robinson threw in a couple jabs about Paul Ryan and Tisei's house in Martha's Vineyard, too.

Congress passed an extension of the payroll tax cut, which amounts to about $1,300 for an average American family a year, at the last minute in February following heated debates and public outrage.

Republicans initially opposed extending the payroll tax because the extension would add about $100 billion to the deficit. Some Democrats opposed the extension as well, because it would not include tax increases on higher incomes to pay for it.

Tisei is not taking the attack sitting down.

“John Tierney is telling the voters more about himself in his ad than about me," Tisei said in a statement Wednesday. "For having been in Washington for 16 years and having to go negative in April, six months before the election, is pitiful and desperate."

Tisei defended his stance on the payroll tax cut, attacking Tierney for opposing the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 and for wanting those tax cuts to expire.

“Spending is the issue," Tisei continued. "When I’m the Congressman, I'll oppose political gimmickry when it comes to the federal budget."