Remember when winning an election meant actually talking to voters about the various candidates’ records and achievements?
No? Me neither.
Okay, that’s a stretch; but so far this cycle, even with our very crowded and very deep bench, we’ve seen a lot of talk, and not a lot of action when it comes to actually explaining to those elusive primary voters why X or Y candidate is the most qualified to sit in the Oval Office.
Jeb Bush’s latest TV campaign manages to toe the line between touting his record as Florida governor, and hitting back at fellow GOP presidential hopefuls who (and I’ll put this gently) have allowed rhetoric define their candidacies.
We have an important choice to make about the direction of our country.If you want more DC politicians, or more self-promoters, you’ve got options. I’m offering something different: leadership, ideas, and a proven conservative record.As governor, I cut taxes, cut spending, balanced budgets, and Florida led the nation in job creation.Anybody can talk. I’ve delivered, and I hope to earn your support.
Short, sweet, to the point. I can’t imagine who he could possibly be talking about when he mentions “self-promoters” and people who can “talk” their way into the hearts and minds of pollsters’ data samples. No idea at all.
The ad is part of a $500,000 buy-in in the Boston and New Hampshire media markets:
The ad will run from next Wednesday until Sept. 29, “with 15% of the initial placement dedicated for targeted online advertising,” Campbell said. She described it as the first step in a “multi-week process to expand the campaign’s advertising in New Hampshire and other early states.”The post-Labor Day ad blitz, which comes as more people start paying attention to the election, will run alongside another pro-Bush campaign. The super PAC, Right to Rise, also announced last month that it would be dropping at least $10 million on advertising.
Is it an effective ad? Or, at least effective enough of an ask to get the super-saturated northeastern market to take a second look at a third Bush? Possibly. What struck me about this ad is that it’s essentially a 33 second blitz on Jeb’s record—which could end up being what saves his candidacy. His jabs at Trump (let’s be honest) probably constitute as much sass as Jeb Bush’s campaign will ever manage, but they do cast the rest of the field in a negative light, and encourage those targeted with the ad to focus on substance.
Is New Hampshire ready to pivot toward substance? Time will tell.
h/t Mediaite
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