Associated Press

North Dakota broadcasters may have to sell equal time to the Democratic candidate for insurance commissioner.

A lawyer for Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm's Democratic opponent, Fargo state Rep. Jasper Schneider, sent a letter to broadcasters this week asking that they pull an ad that advertises his agency's assistance programs, because they promote the Republican's election campaign. Their $35,000 cost for production and air time was paid by a federal grant.

"It is our belief that these commercials … are blatantly political, paid for with public funds, and unprecedented this close to an election," says the letter from Schneider's lawyer, Alex Reichert of Grand Forks.

Jack McDonald, an attorney for the North Dakota Broadcasters Association, said he has told the stations the ad triggers a federal political broadcast advertising rule that requires them to sell equal time to Schneider. Reichert's letter says Schneider intends to ask the stations for equal time.

The television and radio ad invites North Dakota seniors to call the Insurance Department if they have questions about Medicare prescription drug coverage or a program that offers free or cut-rate medicines.

Hamm said seniors have been responding to the ad, and that he has no intention of stopping their broadcast. They began airing July 21 and are scheduled to run until Aug. 17.

McDonald said the stations will be required to offer Schneider the same amount of advertising time, should he want to buy it.

"They just have to give Jasper the chance to buy the ads at the same price that they charged Hamm … in approximately the same time slots," McDonald said. "The idea is to reach approximately the same audience."