Republicans released a new battery of campaign ads that play on fears of ISIS and terrorism , and the Republican charged with helping elect new GOP congressmen said national security was `` popping '' as a key issue heading into November . `` We 're seeing a big uptick on national security issues , '' U.S. Rep. Greg Walden , R-Oregon , told reporters at a breakfast hosted by The Christian Science Monitor on Friday . He cited a CNN poll showing that 57 % of Americans did n't approve of President Obama 's handling of terrorism . Walden said it was too early to tell if the issue had overtaken the economy as the chief concern of voters , but on Friday , the National Republican Congressional Committee rolled out paid television ads in four competitive districts that accused Democrats of cutting funds to fight al Qaeda . One of the new spots said that a Democratic candidate supported suspected terrorists keeping their U.S. passports . Three of the ads featured images of groups of men carrying weapons with ominous music and a narrator warning that positions supported by Democratic candidates made them `` dangerous . '' A spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said the GOP was `` resorting to Karl Rove 's scare tactics . '' `` It 's a shame that at a time when our nation is facing real threats abroad and economic challenges at home , the NRCC would stoop to these lows just to try to win seats , '' Josh Scherwin told CNN in a written statement . Walden railed on the President 's leadership on the international stage and asked , `` Can you show me a foreign policy success ? '' But the issue is somewhat complicated for the party , and it 's unclear how a continued -- and likely expanded -- U.S. military operation in the Mideast will affect voters ' opinions in the final days of the fall campaign , when voters tend to pay closer attention . More House Republicans than Democrats backed the President 's request for authority to arm and train Syrian rebel groups to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria . Walden said he supported assisting groups in the region , but like other Republicans , he said the administration did n't have a clear strategy for fighting ISIS . He said the issue will play out `` district by district '' across the country . The NRCC chairman repeated that he believes his party can win 245 Republican seats in the House , which would mean a net gain of a dozen seats in November . `` I 'd rather be us than them , '' Walden said , referring to Democrats , and he downplayed the financial advantage that the DCCC has had over his committee consistently over the election cycle .
National security issues are becoming a top priority in midterm campaigns . Republicans are putting up new ads that play on fears of ISIS and terrorism . National Democrats say the GOP is `` resorting to Karl Rove 's scare tactics ''