Today Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza released her first television ad of her re-election campaign: “Tough As Nails.” This ad highlights Mendoza’s fierce ability to take on challenges, whether on the soccer field or against Governor Rauner, and fight for what she believes in. In December 2017, Politico described Mendoza as a “tough-as-nails one-time All Midwest soccer star.”
As Illinois’ fiscal watchdog, Mendoza has transformed the Office of the Comptroller and shifted its priorities back to protecting the people. In only two years in office, Mendoza has achieved a long list of accomplishments including: passing the Debt Transparency Act to provide greater disclosure of state debt and save taxpayers billions; introducing the lowest Comptroller budget in 20 years; and recovering more than $36.5 million in outstanding debt for more than 400 local governments around Illinois.
Mendoza has led the resistance against Governor Rauner’s disastrous administration. Just as she did on the soccer field, Mendoza never backs down from a challenge. She has the strength and determination to keep fighting for the people of Illinois as Comptroller.
Susana Mendoza: All I wanted to do was play soccer. And my mother said oh no, honey, you can’t play soccer. Only boys play soccer. My dad said if she wants to try it, let’s try it. After the first time she gets kicked in the shins, it’s gonna hurt, she’s not gonna want to play. I got kicked in the shins, I just kicked back harder.
Soccer Coach John Randall: They said, ‘Coach, she’s a girl!’ and I said I know, she’s the best player I have.
Susana Mendoza: I do play in a male-dominated world, but when people tell me I can’t do something, it just motivates me even more.
“Girls can’t play soccer.” I guess the name “Mia Hamm” doesn’t ring any bells with them, but whatev. To the post: Short and sweet, doesn’t really say much about what she’d do as Comptroller, but positive and well produced.
i voted dem up and down the ballot, but i didn’t vote for mendoza. i’m convinced that she will turn around and run for mayor. i want a comptroller who wants to do the job, not one who is always looking for the next political opportunity.
Comptroller Mendoza really didn’t tell us anything that should highlight her merits in the office, but she is rocking that Chicago Red Stars kit (best looking unis in the NWSL).
Skeptic, not sure of your age, but most female soccer players, including Mia Hamm had to play on teams with boys. Mia Hamm popularized women’s sooccer so there were separate teams.
–Comptroller Mendoza really didn’t tell us anything that should highlight her merits in the office–
Read the supers.
Good intro/bio spot. If she runs for mayor, she can reuse it and just swap out new supers.
- The Most Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:38 am:
I like it! Strategically vague (making you read about comptroller, with audio only about her) to help her transition into her candidacy for mayor. It’s nice to get to know a candidate, and I appreciate that this is the closest (though highly watered down) version of F the patriarchy that we’ll get this campaign season. While we’re all drowning in health care, anti-Madigan and anti-Trump ads, this cuts through.
I agree with Anon, the ad doesn’t tell us anything about her…..however that may or may not be important for a down-ballot candidate.
Doesn’t matter, the state will still put her in office. Once she wins, she may turn around and run for Mayor, but I can’t even see her making it to a runoff….
Mendoza versus Ives is the Governor’s race we crave; JB versus Rauner is the Governor’s race we’re stuck with. Anyways, Go JB.
Also too, choosing that Red Stars kit is a terrific shout out to the iconic City of Chicago flag.
As a dual purpose ad, it’s an “A”
- Levivotedforjudy - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:57 am:
I think this is a great 1st ad. I doubt if most Illinois voters know who the comptroller is or what they do. This introduces her as a person and gives you a look into her determination, shows she has passion and insight on a woman dealing in arenas dominated by men. She can go into her job performance later. You can’t put everything in one ad (unless it is one of those mini-movies they were doing a while back).
All you curmudgeons grumbling about how “well what about Mia Hamm??” should take 15 seconds to google both women. Turns out they are the same age, so it’s not like when Mendoza was asking her mom to play soccer everyone in the country could just say “oh sure well Mia Hamm is doing it so go for it!”
I love the ad. Mendoza can keep herself fresh in people’s minds and doesn’t even need to acknowledge she has an opponent unlike the 2016 race. I give it an A.
Solid A. Maybe the best intro/bio ad of this cycle.
It will be interesting to see if she can get within a few points of Jesse White as the leading vote getter. That would provide a nice boost for her mayoral bid.
>>> i want a comptroller who wants to do the job, not one who is always looking for the next political opportunity >>>
Spare me! Every state comptroller I can think of (with the exception of temporary designee Jerry Stermer) has been looking to grab the next rung of the political ladder and none have admitted it when running for the position. Think Michael Bakalis, Roland Burris, Dawn Clark Netsch, Loleta Didrickson, Dan Hynes, Judy Baar Topinka and Leslie Munger…..
- MakePoliticsCoolAgain - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:07 am:
My issue- pick a lane, Susana. That was an ad displaying her qualities for Mayor (the jersey was a dead giveaway). Don’t get cocky and win the race you are actually on the ballot for today. #27days
As a failed General Assembly candidate, Munger was content being a “Wingman” and having a job she didn’t need.
Munger was never your typical Comptroller, including looking to move up… again, unless getting appointed by a governor after losing re-elect is someone looking to move up…
**“Girls can’t play soccer.” I guess the name “Mia Hamm” doesn’t ring any bells with them, but whatev. **
Uhh… Mia Hamm and Susana Mendoza are the same age. Which would mean that no, the name Mia Hamm wouldn’t have rang any bells for Mendoza’s mom when Mendoza was a kid 40 years ago.
Good grief, it’s a generic feel good ad for a generic ladder-climbing politician. She doesn’t want to be comptroller - she wants to be top dog on the dog pile.
Blah, blah, blah - show us the beef, Queen Wannabee.
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:55 am:
Yeah, no one’s ultimate goal is to be Comptroller. Even the most ambitious among them don’t start running for higher office before getting sworn in from their last election, though.
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 11:36 am:
Perfect dual purpose ad. She comes across as warm, likable, the perfect counter to Toni…err I mean Senger or whomever she’s currently running against. And the jersey is just such a natural fit for whatever she may want to do next.
love this ad A. great way to show what she’s about. and for those grumbling that Mia Hamm did it first, yeah, right, there’s some giant machine that puts all the women in order and they have to portray themselves that way. sheesh. point is, there are not enough services for women and girls , and there are girls who literally play with the boys. and do well. good for Susana. (several exclamation points)
I like it that she owned the “tough as nails” part. When she’s criticized it’s often for being too political or too combative. I’ll be very relieved if we don’t have to see her try to sell us a softer side.
I give it an A. Great bio spot. Feels different from all of the other negative junk on the air right now. Showcases her spunk and grit plus some accomps as Comptroller. You get real feel for who she is. And agree on the dual purpose references. Smart.
- Skeptic - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:20 am:
“Girls can’t play soccer.” I guess the name “Mia Hamm” doesn’t ring any bells with them, but whatev. To the post: Short and sweet, doesn’t really say much about what she’d do as Comptroller, but positive and well produced.
- Barrington - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:20 am:
Love the ad. Note I am a Mendoza fan.
- anon - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:22 am:
i voted dem up and down the ballot, but i didn’t vote for mendoza. i’m convinced that she will turn around and run for mayor. i want a comptroller who wants to do the job, not one who is always looking for the next political opportunity.
- Anon - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:26 am:
Comptroller Mendoza really didn’t tell us anything that should highlight her merits in the office, but she is rocking that Chicago Red Stars kit (best looking unis in the NWSL).
- labour - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:26 am:
Having Ed Burke and his wads of troops and cash (among other powerful male allies) doesn’t hurt either
- Barrington - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:28 am:
Skeptic, not sure of your age, but most female soccer players, including Mia Hamm had to play on teams with boys. Mia Hamm popularized women’s sooccer so there were separate teams.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:28 am:
great ad
- Long Time R - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:28 am:
She forgot to mention all those tax increases she voted for. But don’t worry Preckwinkle will handle that for her
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:32 am:
Solid “B+”
“Why?”
While Mia Hamm and the Women’s World Cup soccer teams are known now, Mendoza would be more of a contemporary …as they are the same age.
The music is great. Like Mendoza, it’s fast paced, the ad’s rythmn is fast paced to mirror what they hope voters think of her, a person of action.
It plays gender as a hurdle, but highlights her perseverance, not the playing too negatively towards gender bias.
Using sport with the term “tough” allows a more welcoming to the term as its used for both genders in sport, so it’s clever using sport to be “tough”
It’s also fun. The coach and “best player”… that takes away the gender and talks to unbiased gender assessment.
This is the kind of ad you can and should run when fee can remember your opponents name.
Good work.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:34 am:
–Comptroller Mendoza really didn’t tell us anything that should highlight her merits in the office–
Read the supers.
Good intro/bio spot. If she runs for mayor, she can reuse it and just swap out new supers.
- The Most Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:38 am:
I like it! Strategically vague (making you read about comptroller, with audio only about her) to help her transition into her candidacy for mayor. It’s nice to get to know a candidate, and I appreciate that this is the closest (though highly watered down) version of F the patriarchy that we’ll get this campaign season. While we’re all drowning in health care, anti-Madigan and anti-Trump ads, this cuts through.
- JakeCP - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:39 am:
I agree with Anon, the ad doesn’t tell us anything about her…..however that may or may not be important for a down-ballot candidate.
Doesn’t matter, the state will still put her in office. Once she wins, she may turn around and run for Mayor, but I can’t even see her making it to a runoff….
- Retired Educator - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:40 am:
Nice ad B+. She is going to win big. I have even heard hardcore Republicans speak well of her. She is a fighter.
- Red Ranger - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:49 am:
Shes smart, doesn’t even have to make a new ad for the mayoral run. Fiscal conservative!
- Hamlet's Ghost - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:50 am:
Mendoza versus Ives is the Governor’s race we crave; JB versus Rauner is the Governor’s race we’re stuck with. Anyways, Go JB.
Also too, choosing that Red Stars kit is a terrific shout out to the iconic City of Chicago flag.
As a dual purpose ad, it’s an “A”
- Levivotedforjudy - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 9:57 am:
I think this is a great 1st ad. I doubt if most Illinois voters know who the comptroller is or what they do. This introduces her as a person and gives you a look into her determination, shows she has passion and insight on a woman dealing in arenas dominated by men. She can go into her job performance later. You can’t put everything in one ad (unless it is one of those mini-movies they were doing a while back).
- Cynical - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:01 am:
All you curmudgeons grumbling about how “well what about Mia Hamm??” should take 15 seconds to google both women. Turns out they are the same age, so it’s not like when Mendoza was asking her mom to play soccer everyone in the country could just say “oh sure well Mia Hamm is doing it so go for it!”
I love the ad. Mendoza can keep herself fresh in people’s minds and doesn’t even need to acknowledge she has an opponent unlike the 2016 race. I give it an A.
- Roman - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:01 am:
Solid A. Maybe the best intro/bio ad of this cycle.
It will be interesting to see if she can get within a few points of Jesse White as the leading vote getter. That would provide a nice boost for her mayoral bid.
- Eric Zorn - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:04 am:
>>> i want a comptroller who wants to do the job, not one who is always looking for the next political opportunity >>>
Spare me! Every state comptroller I can think of (with the exception of temporary designee Jerry Stermer) has been looking to grab the next rung of the political ladder and none have admitted it when running for the position. Think Michael Bakalis, Roland Burris, Dawn Clark Netsch, Loleta Didrickson, Dan Hynes, Judy Baar Topinka and Leslie Munger…..
- MakePoliticsCoolAgain - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:07 am:
My issue- pick a lane, Susana. That was an ad displaying her qualities for Mayor (the jersey was a dead giveaway). Don’t get cocky and win the race you are actually on the ballot for today. #27days
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:08 am:
===Leslie Munger…..===
Munger was angling to lose to be Deputy Governor?
Munger was put there as a backstop for Rauner.
As a failed General Assembly candidate, Munger was content being a “Wingman” and having a job she didn’t need.
Munger was never your typical Comptroller, including looking to move up… again, unless getting appointed by a governor after losing re-elect is someone looking to move up…
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:09 am:
Nice ad. Good candidate.
- Shemp - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:13 am:
She’s a good press release issuer. She’s not so good at running the comptroller’s office.
- Nick Name - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:28 am:
===She’s a good press release issuer. She’s not so good at running the comptroller’s office.===
Brucie, is that you?
- SaulGoodman - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:30 am:
**“Girls can’t play soccer.” I guess the name “Mia Hamm” doesn’t ring any bells with them, but whatev. **
Uhh… Mia Hamm and Susana Mendoza are the same age. Which would mean that no, the name Mia Hamm wouldn’t have rang any bells for Mendoza’s mom when Mendoza was a kid 40 years ago.
- Worth It - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:43 am:
Horrible production value. I mean seriously, how do you misspell “Mendoza for Mayor of Chicago”?
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:47 am:
Good grief, it’s a generic feel good ad for a generic ladder-climbing politician. She doesn’t want to be comptroller - she wants to be top dog on the dog pile.
Blah, blah, blah - show us the beef, Queen Wannabee.
- Herhonor - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:48 am:
A+.@Anon: “Comptroller Mendoza really didn’t tell us anything that should highlight her merits in the office” Yeah, she really hasn’t got the word out about what she’s accomplished as Comptroller and should cram more into this 30-second first ad: https://susanamendoza.com/politico-playbook-power-list-18-to-watch-in-2018/ http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/July-2017/Susana-Mendoza/ https://www.marketplace.org/2017/06/29/economy/what-happens-when-state-has-15-billion-worth-unpaid-bills https://susanamendoza.com/in-illinois-ongoing-budget-crisis-shes-the-woman-deciding-who-gets-paid/ https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/maybe-just-maybe-illinois-has-averted-armageddon
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 10:55 am:
Yeah, no one’s ultimate goal is to be Comptroller. Even the most ambitious among them don’t start running for higher office before getting sworn in from their last election, though.
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 11:36 am:
Perfect dual purpose ad. She comes across as warm, likable, the perfect counter to Toni…err I mean Senger or whomever she’s currently running against. And the jersey is just such a natural fit for whatever she may want to do next.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 12:27 pm:
love this ad A. great way to show what she’s about. and for those grumbling that Mia Hamm did it first, yeah, right, there’s some giant machine that puts all the women in order and they have to portray themselves that way. sheesh. point is, there are not enough services for women and girls , and there are girls who literally play with the boys. and do well. good for Susana. (several exclamation points)
- Earnest - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 1:41 pm:
I like it that she owned the “tough as nails” part. When she’s criticized it’s often for being too political or too combative. I’ll be very relieved if we don’t have to see her try to sell us a softer side.
- Shytown - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 2:56 pm:
I give it an A. Great bio spot. Feels different from all of the other negative junk on the air right now. Showcases her spunk and grit plus some accomps as Comptroller. You get real feel for who she is. And agree on the dual purpose references. Smart.
- Amend - Wednesday, Oct 10, 18 @ 5:42 pm:
Far more effective than Toni’s shuffleboard ad.