Actor Michael J. Fox, who has been fighting Parkinson's disease since 1991, has weighed in on the Maryland senate race by recording a TV ad about the importance of stem cell research for Democratic Senatorial candidate Ben Cardin, according to The Washington Post.
"Stem cell research offers hope to millions of Americans with diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's," Fox said in the ad.
Opponents of the ad say the new commercials exploit Fox as a popular actor and that stem cell research may not be as useful as proponents claim, according to The Post.
The negative tone of the ad, which says President Bush and Republican candidate Michael Steele do not care about stem cell research, may backfire because Steele has been applauded for running a more positive, issue-oriented campaign, The Post reported.
Fox, who is popular for his television and movie roles in "Spin City" and "Back to the Future," recorded ads for other pro-stem cell research Democratic candidates such as Claire McCaskill, Democratic Senatorial candidate from Missouri, and Gov. Jim Doyle, D-Wis., who is currently up for re-election.
