Democrats mount ad campaign to counter Bush energy plan

President Bush

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democrats are launching a new weapon in their attack on the White House energy plan.

Starting Monday, a committee whose aim is to elect Democrats to the House will air a cable television advertisement in the Long Beach, California, district of Republican Rep. Stephen Horn.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is sponsoring the weeklong ad, but officials would not say how much they are spending.

A spokesman for the Democratic National Committee said an undetermined number of other ads will also be launched to spotlight other members of Congress.

DNC spokeswoman Jenny Backus said the ads will be part of a larger Democratic campaign against the Bush administration's energy proposals.

VIDEO Democrat-sponsored ad attacking the White House energy policy hits airwaves in California (May 20) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     IN-DEPTH The Energy Crunch

The ad asks viewers to call Horn's office "if you can find the phone" as it shows a man lighting a match and staring into the camera.

"California's energy crisis is deepening. With summer blackouts predicted and rate hikes of up to 80 percent.

Yet, President Bush has offered no relief to hard-pressed rate payers, his spokesman saying, 'The president continues to believe that the issue is mostly a California matter,'" the ad says. "And our representative, Steven Horn, had joined with Bush in opposing a temporary cap on electricity prices."