Sen. Tammy Baldwin is a Democrat whose state of Wisconsin has trended rightward since she was first elected statewide in 2012. So instead of talking about her largely progressive voting record, her 2018 re-election ad "Cheesy" tells the story of when she told federal regulators to lay off Wisconsin small businesses.
With the help of Wisconsin cheesemaker Marieke Penterman, who also goes by Marieke Gouda, Sen. Baldwin revisits an episode from 2014 when the FDA suggested cheesemaking on wooden boards was a health risk.
We then see Sen. Baldwin in front of rows of cheese on wooden boards, chiding "federal bureaucrats" who "wanted to prohibit the use of wooden cheese boards." Penterman chimes in, "Tammy Baldwin stepped in, helped eliminate the regulations, and stood up for businesses like ours."
The ad ends with the senator approving "this message, and this cheese," as she nibbles a piece along with the Penterman family.
But as far as Sen. Baldwin's media consultants are concerned, the particulars are less important than having an opportunity to show the incumbent standing with Wisconsin over "federal bureaucrats," and standing with cute kids eating cheese.
With the help of Wisconsin cheesemaker Marieke Penterman, who also goes by Marieke Gouda, Sen. Baldwin revisits an episode from 2014 when the FDA suggested cheesemaking on wooden boards was a health risk.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin Gets Big Endorsement from Marieke Gouda
The ad begins with Penterman's children wearing Marieke Gouda shirts at their family farm. "This is going to be a cheesy ad" says one, because after alll, as they all chime in, "This is Wisconsin!"We then see Sen. Baldwin in front of rows of cheese on wooden boards, chiding "federal bureaucrats" who "wanted to prohibit the use of wooden cheese boards." Penterman chimes in, "Tammy Baldwin stepped in, helped eliminate the regulations, and stood up for businesses like ours."
The ad ends with the senator approving "this message, and this cheese," as she nibbles a piece along with the Penterman family.
Tammy Baldwin Stands With Cheesemakers Over Bureaucrats
The ad arguably overstates what the FDA did in the first place. In 2014, a FDA official did express concern about the safety of wooden cheese boards in preventing bacterial outbreaks, but the agency didn't issue a new regulation. At the time, many in the cheese industry, along with conservative critics of excessive government, acted as if the agency had already banned the boards. Sen. Baldwin was one of several politicians from dairy states who complained to the FDA, and the agency quickly released a clarifying statement that officials "have not and are not prohibiting or banning the longstanding practice of using wood shelving in artisanal cheese" but only want further dialogue with the industry.But as far as Sen. Baldwin's media consultants are concerned, the particulars are less important than having an opportunity to show the incumbent standing with Wisconsin over "federal bureaucrats," and standing with cute kids eating cheese.