The 20th Congressional District race continues to get nasty, as Kirsten Gillibrand and Sandy Treadwell work hard to align their opponent with the enemy.

U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-Greenport, has run ads and sent out mailers depicting Treadwell as a President George W. Bush fan who would continue the latter's economic policies.

And Treadwell continues to advertise Gillibrand's past links to the tobacco industry.

At least two mailers sent to homes in the district last week and paid for by the state Democratic Committee touted Treadwell as a Bush supporter. In one, Treadwell's photo appears on a mock "George W. Bush Fan Club" card and photos of him smiling with the president cover the inside of the brochure.

Republican challenger Treadwell distanced himself from Bush this week, playfully giving "W" two thumbs down in a statement on Tuesday. An Oliver Stone film by that name debuted Friday, and Treadwell admitted he doesn't plan to see the movie, but is disheartened by the real-life events.

"The past several years have indeed produced an epic, but unfortunately the real story has proven to be a flop," Treadwell said in the statement. "Too many mistakes in Iraq, bungling the response to Katrina, and a crisis on Wall Street have left Americans ready for a new storyline and a new cast."

He said he hopes to appear as a supporting role in a future film called "Mac and Me 2," a reference to presidential candidate John McCain.

Meanwhile, Treadwell continues to advertise Gillibrand's work for tobacco giant Philip Morris, directing voters to his website www.gillibrandunfiltered.com. Gillibrand has denied the allegations, saying she couldn't choose her assignments then and was one of many lawyers representing Philip Morris.

For complete local election coverage, including a list of all local races, a link to find your polling place and biographies and video Q&As for candidates for state and federal offices, visit DailyGazette.com's special election section at www.dailygazette.com/elections.