Congressional candidate Mike Erickson is using a new television ad to respond to allegations that he paid for a woman to have an abortion.

MikeEricksonforCongress.org

The 30-second ad, released late Wednesday, includes a bold headline declaring “Kevin Mannix Smears Erickson.” Mannix and Erickson are vying for Oregon’s Fifth Congressional District.

Background:   Mannix accused of smear tactics

In a written statement, Erickson calls the allegations false. But, he has yet to reply to any questions and not granted any interviews since his republican rival dropped the political bombshell earlier this week in a letter sent to 60,000 voters.

The accusations surfaced in an email, in which a woman named “Christi” claims in 2000 Erickson “drove my friend (whom he impregnated) to an abortion clinic in NE Portland, handed her some cash, and left her at the door.” If true, this would conflict with Erickson’s family values and right to life stance.

The woman behind the email, Christi, tells Newschannel 8 “I don’t think it is politically motivated at all.” Christi says she is not a Mannix supporter.

She wants the truth to come out about Erickson and her friend, “At 25, she was very, in a very vulnerable situation, you know being a single mom, barely making ends meet, and I think he kind of swept her away."

Newschannel 8 contacted the woman who allegedly had the abortion on Tuesday. She confirmed the story and added, “There’s isn’t much more to say about it.”