2012 GOP Hopeful Fred Karger Running Ad During Tampa Debate

Activist Fred Karger, a veteran of many Republican campaigns, will not be included in the Republican presidential debate being held in Tampa on Monday night -- but he will still be getting his message across. The Karger camp released a statement on Monday with the news that they will be running a commercial during the debate, including in Florida markets.

I was hoping to be on that stage to talk about my ideas to turn this country around like my old boss Ronald Reagan did, but again I was not invited to join my fellow candidates for president to debate the issues, said Karger on Monday. So instead, we will be running our latest commercial, 'Tyrannosaurus Rex,' where I take on the worlds largest oil company Exxon Mobil and its CEO Rex Tillerson during tonights debate. We have purchased commercial time in the Tampa market to run this hard-hitting 30-second spot produced by our filmmaker, John Keitel.

Big Oil continues to gouge consumers at the pump, while reaping obscene profits. While I am a firm believer in business and the private sector, Exxon Mobil is damaging our economy and hurting American families. I want to help lead the fight to bring down gas prices, and I am starting in Tampa tonight, Karger added. I spoke Saturday in Stratham, N.H., at the Seacoast Republican Womens Chili Fest at the famous Scamman Farm about some of my plans to turn our economy around. We need to do what President Reagan did 29 years ago when he worked closely with Congress to pass the Economic Recovery Act of 1981.Inflation, unemployment and the morale in this country all needed to be turned around and he did it. President Reagan brought his strong brand of optimism to the country when we needed it most. I want the opportunity to do the same.

My fellow candidates for president will undoubtedly go after each other again tonight, and attack President Obama at every turn, said Karger in conclusion. If I were in the debate, I would talk about bringing back the American spirit and putting our country first, not my political career.