* We’ve seen a handful of very strong positive TV ads this cycle and we can probably add this next one to the list. From a press release…..

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis’ (R-Ill.) campaign today released its fifth television ad for the 2014 general election.

The ad, titled “Harrison”, features Harrison Beler, a U.S. Army veteran from Springfield. In the ad, Harrison talks about the struggles our veterans are facing here at home and the work Rep. Davis is doing in Congress to help them, including legislation, the Hire More Heroes Act, he introduced to incentivize small businesses to hire more veterans.

Rep. Davis is a part of the No Labels Problem Solvers and has been named to the “Governing Caucus”, a coalition of 30 House Republicans willing to join a majority of House Democrats to pass major legislation, by the National Journal. Additionally, in the National Journal’s 2013 Vote Ratings, Davis was ranked the 220th most liberal and the 212th most conservative House member.

The ad begins today.

* The ad…

* Script…

Harrison: Veterans are the backbone of our country.

But I can see them, they are suffering.

Veterans don’t get the jobs, the medical care, the housing and the help they need.

Rodney Davis has seen this problem and he’s stepping up to the plate,

He’s coming out, helping the veterans.

He sponsored a bill to hire more heroes, put more veterans back to work.

The guys in Washington, they might not do nothing.

But our Congressman here does something.

VO: I’m Rodney Davis and I approve this message.

* Meanwhile, Charlie Cook has changed his rating on this race to “Likely Republican”…

IL-13: Rodney Davis - South central: Champaign, Decatur, Springfield

Likely Republican.

At the beginning of the cycle, Democrats couldn’t have been more excited when Madison County Judge Ann Callis jumped into the race. But Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s numbers are dreadful Downstate, and this race is slipping away too. A Public Opinion Strategies poll taken for Davis showed him up 55 percent to 36 percent, and Democrats’ House Majority PAC just cut its TV reservation here.

…Adding… From the Callis campaign…

The campaign of former Chief Judge and Congressional challenger Ann Callis criticized Congressman Rodney Davis for releasing a new TV ad today that doesn’t address his true record for veterans and military families, which includes damaging votes to shut down the government and pass the Ryan Budget. Instead, Congressman Davis’ primary claim in the ad for helping veterans is a bill that has not been signed into law.

“Judge Ann Callis has a proven record of helping veterans throughout her distinguished career in Madison County, earning national awards for her work to establish the first Veterans’ Court in Illinois. As the mother of an Army Ranger, this is something extremely personal and will be a priority for her in Washington. Congressman Davis likes to take credit for helping veterans, but he has actually voted to hurt veterans time and time again. His votes to start and continue the government shutdown put new veterans’ benefits claims at risk, slowed down existing claims for struggling veterans, curtailed veterans’ services, furloughed National Guard and civilian workers, and even threatened death benefits for the families of service members killed in action. Along with voting to cut nutrition benefits for military families, Congressman Davis’ actions clearly speak louder than words,” said Callis spokesman David Miyashiro.