Feingold staff expects negative campaign ads By Ray Barrington News-Chronicle Aides for U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold raised the negative ad alert level to "high" Tuesday, warning reporters that election opponent Tim Michels would have national media buys coming in October. Press aides George Aldrich and John Kraus said the Feingold campaign had learned the National Republican Senatorial Committee, a party group supporting candidates, bought $1.2 million in TV time in October in Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukee. While admitting they had not seen the advertisements, the Feingold aides said they believed they were negative based on Michels' primary campaign ads and the fact the advertisements were put together by the same agency - Stevens-Reed in Washington - that put together the anti-John Kerry "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" ads. "I think it's important people know these negative ads are coming," Aldrich said. He compared it to Feingold's stand in 1998 and this year to not only not accept such advertising but to ask in advance that outside groups stay off the air in Wisconsin. "We believe we've got a good campaiogn message and don't need any independent organization campaigning on our behalf," Aldrich said. Kraus cited Michels' ads in the primary campaign that mostly went after Feingold instead of his Republican primary opponents. Specifically, he mentioned an advertisement going after Feingold for his vote against the Patriot Act, an anti-terrorism measure that Feingold said attacked individual liberties. Michels said in the ad that Feingold's vote "put lives at risk." Michels said in an appearance in De Pere on Saturday he would vote to renew the act. Feingold has said he approves of much of the act and is supporting a new measure, the SAFE act, that would replace the Patriot Act. While asking that outside advertising not run in Wisconsin, Aldrich said the senator would accept party monetary donations.