JANESVILLE, Wisconsin — House Speaker Paul Ryan lifted his core message, “A Better Way,” from Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s running mate, says a new ad from Paul Nehlen, the businessman and Republican candidate in Wisconsin’s first congressional district.
“Career politician Paul Ryan has plans for your future,” a narrator reads at the opening of the ad.
It then cuts to video of Ryan announcing his legislative agenda in June, saying, “We’re calling this agenda ‘A Better Way.'”
“Where did Paul Ryan get this ‘Better Way’ plan?” the narrator then asks.
“Paul lifted it from Democrat Vice Presidential Nominee Tim Kaine,” the narrator answers before cutting to video of Kaine, then Virginia’s Governor, giving the Democratic Party’s response to the 2006 State of the Union speech.
Reports from CNN at the time detail how Kaine’s 2006 State of the Union response to then President George W. Bush was also themed “A Better Way.”
“I want to offer some good news,” Kaine said in the video. “There is a better way.”
The full transcript of Kaine’s speech, published by the Washington Post, from 2006 details how much Kaine used the theme “better way.”
“Democrats and Paul Ryan are making back room deals with your future,” the ad says next, before mashing up Ryan and Kaine both saying “A Better Way” together.
“Kaine even says Ryan is key to passing Hillary’s agenda,” the narrator concludes.
“Tuesday, August 9, there is a better way,” the narrator concludes before telling people to vote for Nehlen.
A Ryan spokesman has not responded to the fact that the Speaker of the House lifted his entire core agenda from the now Democratic vice presidential nominee.