BATON ROUGE - Democrats complained Thursday that Republicans were attempting to suppress black voter turnout in Saturday's election through a radio ad that purported to be from a group of District of Columbia school parents.

The ad, featuring a black woman, asks Louisiana voters "to say no to the Democrats," specifically saying U. S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, is opposed to vouchers to allow D.C. parents to use public funds to send their children to private schools.

"This week she's in Louisiana hoping to rev up the black vote for the Democrats," the ad says according to a transcript provided by Democrats. "Well, on behalf of thousands of poor black mothers here in Washington, D.C., we pray that you tell her and other Democrats 'No, not until the Democrats show the children of D.C. some respect and let them go to the same schools their children do."'

The Democratic state party chair Mike Skinner of Lafayette said the ad is actually backed by Republicans who are seeking to confuse black voters.

"In the first place, Mary is not in Louisiana. She's in Washington. That's the first lie," Skinner said. "Republican operatives are attempting to confuse the voters. ... All of this is wrong."

The radio ad, plus a full-page ad in last weekend's New Orleans newspapers and some 20,000 phone calls, carry the notation that they were "paid for by D.C. Parents for Choice."

Virginia Walden-Ford, president of the organization, said the money for the campaign is coming from Indianapolis insurance executive Pat Rooney, a major GOP financial supporter.

Democrats said Rooney owns Golden Rule Insurance Co. that Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley said withdrew from Louisiana rather than follow state law restricting how much they could raise policy rates.

According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Rooney was involved in a school choice coalition that violated Wisconsin's state campaign finance laws in 1997 in a state supreme court race.

Republican Bobby Jindal's campaign said it was unaware of the ads.

"Days after the primary, Bobby stood up and asked all third parties that might participate in this election to remain positive and urged them to do so," said Trey Williams, Jindal's press secretary.

"This is a desperate attempt by the Democratic Party once again to take focus off of the issues," Williams said.

Rooney "has not contributed to our campaign," Williams said.