Rep. Adam Schiff. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is capitalizing on former President Trump's victory in the Iowa caucuses to boost his Senate candidacy by highlighting his service on the Jan. 6 select committee.
Why it matters: It's the first of what will likely be many Democratic attempts to use Trump's growing inevitability as the Republican frontrunner to supercharge grassroots energy and drive fundraising.
Driving the news: Schiff's campaign released a 30-second digital spot on Tuesday called "Danger," backed by a five-figure ad buy, that begins with footage of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
- "When our democracy was in danger, he stood up. Adam Schiff took on a corrupt president," the ad says. "He fought to protect our values and the rule of law."
- In a press release about the ad, Schiff's campaign noted it comes on the heels of Trump's victory in Iowa, saying it "likely cements his position as the clear frontrunner for the GOP nomination."
- Schiff's first policy rollout hits on a similar vein – called "Defend our Democracy" — laying out a list of progressive proposals around voting rights, money in politics and judicial reform.
State of play: Schiff is facing Reps. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), as well as former Dodgers player Steve Garvey, a Republican, in the race for Senate.
- Polls of the race have generally shown him narrowly leading, with Porter and Garvey running competitive.