When Republican businessman Matt Bevin faced withering attacks from Sen. Mitch McConnell in the 2014 Republican primary, he employed his closest surrogates to defend him: his nine kids, four of whom were adopted from Ethiopia. "Mitch McConnell is telling a bunch of lies about my dad. Don't be fooled," said one in a response ad.
But cute kids work better in biographical ads or ads that help to personalize a point, like now-NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ad featuring his son Dante. (New York's Rob Astorino didn't get much mileage using his son to mock Gov. Andrew Cuomo). In the end, McConnell's ads carried the day.
First we see his wife Glenna in the family living room, telling the camera that her husband "leads by example." His kids quickly take the spotlight to explain how.
But their examples do not entail adorable snapshots of family life. Instead, they mouth the labels that Bevin's political consultants believe Republican voters want to hear.
"He's a Christian," says one. "He's a conservative," says the next. "He's a good businessman," says the third. "He's a conservative... did someone already say that?" What do you know, someone did!
Having his kids to testify to his character is a more accepted and effective role for them. But something a little less scripted and less political might have made a more personal connection with the state's voters.
On the other hand, as he is going up against candidates who are not stressing Christian conservatism as much, perhaps Bevin is doing what's necessary to win votes from a constituency big enough to determine the winner in a four-way race.
But cute kids work better in biographical ads or ads that help to personalize a point, like now-NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ad featuring his son Dante. (New York's Rob Astorino didn't get much mileage using his son to mock Gov. Andrew Cuomo). In the end, McConnell's ads carried the day.
Matt Bevin's Kids Return To The Airwaves
Now Bevin is back on the trail, running in Kentucky's gubernatorial primary. And his kids are back too, though this time, it's in the traditional role of telling their dad's biography.First we see his wife Glenna in the family living room, telling the camera that her husband "leads by example." His kids quickly take the spotlight to explain how.
But their examples do not entail adorable snapshots of family life. Instead, they mouth the labels that Bevin's political consultants believe Republican voters want to hear.
"He's a Christian," says one. "He's a conservative," says the next. "He's a good businessman," says the third. "He's a conservative... did someone already say that?" What do you know, someone did!
Bevin's Kids Appear To Love Their Dad's Conservatism
In case twice wasn't enough, Bevin hammers the point home at the end: "I live as a conservative, and I'll govern as a conservative." The subtext is that Bevin is living by his socially conservative Christian values by promoting adoption. (His wife also throws in that he "knows how to stretch a dollar," to satisfy the fiscal conservatives.Having his kids to testify to his character is a more accepted and effective role for them. But something a little less scripted and less political might have made a more personal connection with the state's voters.
On the other hand, as he is going up against candidates who are not stressing Christian conservatism as much, perhaps Bevin is doing what's necessary to win votes from a constituency big enough to determine the winner in a four-way race.