Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin is picking up leaves, asking if voters are “tired of division and anger.”  Tim Michels, the GOP candidate for governor, drives a red truck, promising a “new direction for Wisconsin.”   

  As Election Day approaches, all four candidates in Wisconsin’s Senate and gubernatorial races have launched new TV ads to make their final pitches to voters.   

  The contrast in their approaches is stark: Democrats, Gov. Tony Evers and Senate candidate Mandela Barnes, are on the offensive.  Johnson and Michaels don’t even name their opponents.   

  It’s a similar approach to what’s happening across the midterm map, in states like Pennsylvania, where Republican Sen. Mehmet Oz’s campaign this week began airing a spot in which Oz bemoans the “compassion” missing from politics and promises to “bring balance to Washington.”  His Democratic opponent, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, has released a new ad that says Oz is lying about your vote.   

  The GOP appeals, which follow months of hard-hitting attacks on their Democratic rivals on crime and inflation, appear to be focused on winning over moderate voters, while Democrats are drawing strong opposition aimed at energizing their base and undermining those efforts. Republicans.   

  Republicans enter the closing days of the midterms riding a wave of optimism as the party seeks to take control of the House and Senate, as well as win a handful of key gubernatorial races in states like Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin.   

  Democrats, meanwhile, are trying to shift the blame for inflation and pointing fingers at Republicans over the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, the party’s response to the January 6, 2021 attack on Capitol Hill and more.   

  A new CNN poll conducted by SSRS shows an enthusiastic Republican base amid concerns about the economy, while a severe drop in Democratic enthusiasm for the midterms compared to 2018, when the party won control of the House, puts danger to the narrow majorities of the Democrats in Washington.   

  New ads in Wisconsin’s Senate and gubernatorial races were a vivid illustration of the different tasks each side is seeking to accomplish with early voting underway.   

  Evers released a new ad Wednesday morning touting his record, touting his commitment to bipartisanship in tightly divided Wisconsin and suggesting that Michels, who won the GOP primary after an endorsement from Donald Trump, would be the “puppet” of the former president.   

  “I have worked with both parties to find a middle ground to improve and invest in our public schools, lower income taxes and put our state on sound financial footing,” Evers says.  “Here’s what I won’t do.  I will not defund public schools.  I will not be Donald Trump’s puppet and I will never allow radical politicians to make decisions about abortion.  That should be left to women and their doctors.”   

  On the GOP side, Michels released a new ad Tuesday touting a “new direction for Wisconsin,” highlighting key issues like crime, education and the economy while driving a red truck.   

  “The primary responsibility of the governor is to keep us safe, strong and prosperous.  We all know that’s not happening,” Michels says in the ad.   

  “This election is about what the governor will do.  I will put more money in the pockets of working families in Wisconsin.  We will have safer communities and we will have better schools,” he says.  “If you’re ready for a new direction, come on in.”   

  The Wisconsin race was the second-most expensive gubernatorial contest since Labor Day, drawing more than $64 million in advertising spending.  Democrats have outspent Republicans on ads in this segment, about $41 million to $23 million.  Evers has spent about $14 million, while Michels about $7 million.   

  A similar contrast in the candidates’ closing messages unfolded in the Senate race.   

  Johnson, a Republican seeking a third term, begins his ad by asking: “Aren’t you tired of the division and the anger?  I know I’m sure.”   

  Democrats have accused Johnson of being one of the most divisive figures in Washington, pointing to his past comments comparing the administration of Social Security to a “Ponzi scheme” and his comments appearing to downplay the violence during the 6 January at the Capitol.   

  “Our country is facing huge challenges.  I promise I will do everything I can to help make things better and I will always tell you the truth,” Johnson says in the ad.  “What continues to give me hope are the kind and decent people I meet across Wisconsin – people who love America and are willing to work hard to unite and heal it.”   

  Barnes’ campaign began airing an ad on Wednesday that featured a series of attacks on the GOP incumbent’s record on taxes.   

  “Ron Johnson looks out for himself, not us,” says a narrator at the scene.   

  In Pennsylvania’s Senate race — the nation’s most expensive since Labor Day, with more than $150 million in ad spending, including $86 million from Democrats and $66 million from Republicans — Fetterman and Oz are also following different air approaches less than a week before election day.   

  Fetterman’s new spot seeks to create a contrast to Oz, touting the Democratic Party’s roots in Pennsylvania while characterizing Oz as an unknown carpetbagger.   

  “Pennsylvania, the choice is yours,” Fetterman says in the ad.  “I entered politics only to make my city safer.  Oz only moved here to run, to use us.”   

  Oz, meanwhile, has released a new ad that offers voters a controlled, values-based view.   

  “I have seen your kindness, your grace, your willingness to share.  My family and I will carry these memories forever,” says the famous surgeon in his new ad.  “What’s missing from politics these days is compassion.”   

  Oz then vows to cut taxes and, most importantly, “strengthen Social Security” — an issue that has plagued several GOP Senate candidates in key states, such as Blake Masters in Arizona and JD Vance in Ohio. with their previous comments on entitlement reform highlighted in attack ads.   

  “Politicians are pointing fingers.  Doctors solve problems.  Together, we will resist extremism on both sides and bring balance to Washington,” he says.