Lois Wolk's campaign for state Senate launched an ad last week that takes direct aim at opponent Greg Aghazarian's collection of per diem money as an assemblyman.

The 30-second ad tells how Assemblyman Aghazarian (R-Stockton) has collected daily per diem payments of $170 that are designed to pay for lodging expenses for state legislators who live far from Sacramento.

Aghazarian, the ad points out, lives 46 miles from Sacramento.

"As an assemblyman, Greg Aghazarian took $180,000 he didn't deserve," the announcer in the ad concludes.

Tom Higgins, the campaign manager for Assembly member Wolk (D-Davis), said the ad is meant to point out a hole in Aghazarian's stance as a fiscal conservative.

"It doesn't square quite right when you say one thing and do another," Higgins said, adding that Aghazarian collects the per diem on top of his regular salary as an assemblyman of $116,000 annually. "That per diem is really intended for folks who have to maintain a second residence."

Higgins said that Wolk, who like Aghazarian was first elected to the state Assembly in 2002, has consistently declined her per diem money for lodging because she, like Aghazarian, lives within driving distance of the state Capitol.

Aghazarian's campaign did not return a call for comment Monday.

Wolk said earlier this month that the only chance Aghazarian had to win the 5th State Senate District race against her would be to run a negative campaign. Higgins said Monday that he'd argue the ad Wolk's campaign is running presents facts voters should know about.

"It's about drawing contrasts and distinctions," he said. "This is a difference between the two of them."

Wolk and Aghazarian are running to succeed State Sen. Mike Machado (D-Linden), who is termed out.

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