Fiorina defends her tenure at Hewlett-Packard

California Republican Senate nominee Carly Fiorina has released a new Web ad defending her controversial tenure as CEO of Hewlett-Packard.

The ad aims to push back against charges made by her Democratic opponent, Sen. Barbara Boxer, and other critics of Fiorina's tenure at HP. Fiorina has been criticized for laying off workers and shipping jobs overseas and for pushing through an unpopular merger with rival computer maker Compaq. She was eventually forced out as CEO at HP.

"As the CEO of HP, Carly Fiorina laid off 30,000 workers," one Boxer ad claims. "...And While Californians lost their jobs, Fiorina tripled her salary, bought a million dollar yacht and five corporate jets."

Fiorina's new ad, however, features several former HP employees defending her tenure and touting her leadership skills.

"We needed someone to come in and make changes and that's what they brought Carly in to do," Glenda Gilliland, former HP administrative supervisor, said in the ad. Former HP Process Supervisor Vince Blecha defended Fiorina's decision to layoff HP workers saying, "What would've Barbara Boxer have done. Would she have just raised product prices so we could have cut even more jobs." Former HP Chief Financial Officer Bob Wayman added that, "She's [Fiorina] a leader. She focuses on what needs to be done."

Fiorina has been locked in a close race to unseat Boxer. Recent polls, however, show Boxer edging ahead of Fiorina.