Progressive Democrat Zephyr Teachout, looking to snatch the Republican-held 19th congressional district of New York, began her fall campaign with a 30-second ad deriding 30-second ads, deeming them a way for campaigns to "treat you like you’re dumb."
But it took Teachout only two weeks to unveil another 30-second ad, and it’s a slickly produced, tough negative ad to boot.
"On one end is Albany, where politicians like my opponent sold out to corporate interests." A picture of Republican John Faso is shown, listing his time in the state Assembly. But no evidence of the assertion is offered.
"At the other end are the Wall Street billionaires that wrecked our economy. My opponent worked for them too." Text on the screen defines Faso as "Wall Street Consultant & Lobbyist."
In her first TV spot, Teachout urged voters to watch longer videos on her website that delve deeper into the issues. But it seems like Teachout is heeding the typical advice of the political consultant: policy details are nice, but nothing beats kicking your opponent's teeth in with a 30-second negative ad.
But it took Teachout only two weeks to unveil another 30-second ad, and it’s a slickly produced, tough negative ad to boot.
Zephyr Teachout Goes Negative On John Faso
"Hudson River" begins with a gorgeous wide-angle shot of the river that cuts through the 19th, with Teachout on it driving a motorboat. The camera locks in on her as she says, "From the Hudson River" she says, "you can see a lot of what's wrong in our country.""On one end is Albany, where politicians like my opponent sold out to corporate interests." A picture of Republican John Faso is shown, listing his time in the state Assembly. But no evidence of the assertion is offered.
"At the other end are the Wall Street billionaires that wrecked our economy. My opponent worked for them too." Text on the screen defines Faso as "Wall Street Consultant & Lobbyist."
The Political Consultant's Golden Rule: Negative Ads Work
The camera pans out again at the scenic landscape, and she says, "In between are strong communities on a still polluted river struggling with a lack of jobs ... I approve this message because we need to clean up politics, and this river."In her first TV spot, Teachout urged voters to watch longer videos on her website that delve deeper into the issues. But it seems like Teachout is heeding the typical advice of the political consultant: policy details are nice, but nothing beats kicking your opponent's teeth in with a 30-second negative ad.