The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has launched an automated phone call campaign attacking Republican congressional candidate Matthew Doheny.

The Watertown businessman is making a second run for the 23rd Congressional district against incumbent Democrat Bill Owens of Plattsburgh.

The "Accountability August" campaign is designed to hold Doheny “accountable for refusing to take a stand on the Republican plan that chooses millionaires over Medicare,” according to a prepared statement from DCCC.

The Democrats say they hope to hold Doheny accountable for “hiding his position on whether he backs the Republican plan to end Medicare and raise seniors' health care costs in order to protect tax breaks for millionaires and subsidies for Big Oil.”

The campaign is part of DCCC's "Drive for 25" campaign to win the House, in which the DCCC says it is attempting to hold 44 Republicans “accountable.”

The campaign began today with automated calls.

DCCC says the campaign will also include billboards, gas station advertising, and opportunities for voters to get involved in town halls and community meetings, door-to-door canvasses, phone banks and virtual phone banks in various districts.

Text of the automated phone calls targeting Doheny follows:

“Hi, this is Clare from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee calling about Matthew Doheny.

“Republicans in Congress are pushing a plan to end Medicare as we know it just to protect tax breaks for Big Oil and millionaires. That's not right.

“Matthew Doheny refuses to take a stand, please call him at (315) 405-8661 and tell him to stand with seniors over Big Oil and millionaires.”