Amy McGrath's story of being a female fighter pilot proved to be viral video gold, catapulting her into the top-tier of the Kentucky Sixth Congressional District Democratic primary. Now Lexington Mayor Jim Gray, who was recruited to run by national party officials because of his past electoral success in the district, is up with his first 30-second ad, hoping to draw a subtle contrast between McGrath's flash and his folksiness.
"God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason, to listen twice as much as we talk."
"You gotta tackle those problems head on ... Wrestle them to the ground just like a bear."
"Anybody ever see a turtle sitting on top of a fence post? You know he had a lot of help getting up there."
"When you're solving a problem, you gotta start with killing the snakes closest to your feet."
Towards the end, text on the screen reads: "Jim Gray doesn't speak Washington. Thank goodness." (Of course, plenty of Washington politicians dole out folksy sayings to not sound like they're from Washington, but we digress...)
This ad is hardly the most edgy spot of the 2018 season, but it may feel comfortable to the voters with whom Gray is seeking to re-connect.
Jim Gray's "Grayisms" Don't Sound Like Washington. (Or Do They?)
"Grayisms" is a relatively low-budget spot, with Gray sharing aphorisms with voters in a laconic drawl against a background of soft guitar:"God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason, to listen twice as much as we talk."
"You gotta tackle those problems head on ... Wrestle them to the ground just like a bear."
"Anybody ever see a turtle sitting on top of a fence post? You know he had a lot of help getting up there."
"When you're solving a problem, you gotta start with killing the snakes closest to your feet."
Towards the end, text on the screen reads: "Jim Gray doesn't speak Washington. Thank goodness." (Of course, plenty of Washington politicians dole out folksy sayings to not sound like they're from Washington, but we digress...)
Jim Gray Doesn't Necessarily Need To Go Viral
If Gray is going to beat McGrath, it'll be because he is more familiar figure, having won two mayoral elections and attracting the most votes in the district in his Senate campaign against Sen. Rand Paul. McGrath, a political newcomer, needed a splashy video to get on people's radar screen. Gray doesn't have the same obstacle to overcome.This ad is hardly the most edgy spot of the 2018 season, but it may feel comfortable to the voters with whom Gray is seeking to re-connect.