Father dying of ALS buys $100K ad to help Democrat in Ohio midterm

Christal Hayes | USA TODAY

Despite having an incurable disease, Ady Barkan is committed to spending his days touring the country to support Democrats in the 2018 midterms.

Barkan, a California father battling ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, dropped a $100,000 ad buy in Ohio Thursday to support Danny O'Connor, a Democrat running for Congress in the state's 12th District.

The ad shows Barkan's story, from finding out he was diagnosed with the disease just four months after his wife gave birth to their son, Carl, to heading to Washington to fight a Republican effort that would affect his healthcare.

"They didn't listen," he says in the ad of Republicans. "Your family and my family are going to pay the price, so now I'm asking you to be a hero. On August 7, vote for Danny O'Connor. He'll protect healthcare for my family and yours."

Barkan got national attention in December after approaching Sen. Jeff Flake on a flight about voting no on a tax bill, which later passed. He shared his story with the Arizona lawmaker, telling him about his rising medical costs.

More: Aboard flight, dad battling ALS pleads with Sen. Jeff Flake to vote no on tax bill

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"What should I tell my son, or what would you tell my son if you pass this bill and he cuts funding for disability and I can't get a ventilator?" he asked. He later added: "You can save my life. Please remember this conversation."

Videos of their conversation later went viral.

Flake Plane Interview Ady Barkan had spent a week trying to get lawmakers' attentions and giving speeches outside their offices, ending in an arrest. So when he heard Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake was on his American Airlines flight to Phoenix, he saw his moment.

Barkan has carried on with his message, becoming an advocate and fighting for affordable healthcare. He also ran ads in Arizona's 8th Congressional District.

As for Ohio, polling shows O'Connor is nearly tied with Republican Troy Balderson in the race to succeed Rep. Pat Tiberi, who resigned. The district hasn't elected a Democrat since the 1980s, according to Vox.

"Danny O'Connor embodies Midwest values of caring for family members and fighting for healthcare for all," Barkan said. "He represents a new wave of leadership who understands what Americans need, especially after the experience of his own mother who had breast cancer. We can count on him to protect our right to healthcare."