The attorney general of Illinois should be independent, unafraid of special interests, political parties or politicians.
I’m Erika Harold and I’m accountable to you, not the president, not the governor.
And unlike Kwame Raoul, I’ll never take orders from Mike Madigan.
That’s a strong ad.
…Adding… From Aviva Bowen at the Raoul campaign…
It’s a little late for Republican Erika Harold to convince voters she would be independent of Bruce Rauner, who said he’d ‘personally recruited’ her. As for the president, Donald Trump and Republican AGs are in court working hard to take healthcare away from Illinoisans with pre-existing conditions, and Erika has been typically silent. That’s not independence or courage, but it’s consistent with her position to eliminate the ACA and hurt our families.
It’s a solid ad. A-. I’ve been saying for more than a year that Kwame would have trouble defeating Erika Harold. I wish I had been proven wrong but I worry that she has the best shot for the upset of the night.
This is one of a very few ads I’ve seen this year that has any class to it at all. It also serves to make a very important point regarding the Democrats controlling all of Illinois government. This rarely works out well for anyone. Look at what has already happened in California with the Democrats in almost total control for years.
- Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:02 pm:
“INDEPENDENT” in big letters across the screen for 3 full seconds was an obvious but smart move.
- Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:05 pm:
===I’m not bought, the other guy is. Hypocrite much?===
They both might be….but at least her funder is likely to lose. Sure seems like we’ll have a D legislature, governor, secretary of state, comptroller, and treasurer. Would be nice to have someone keeping Governor Pritzker honest.
Yes, Chance, please do look at California. Budget surpluses and booming economy. Beginnings of independent redistricting. Political courage by Dems to pay their bills, instead of years of deficits and gridlock.
It’s Harold’s best argument. And it’s uncomplicated. She has enough money to get it across. Raoul is in the uncomfortable position of running negative ads about her now, when he should be making a strong closing positive arguments about himself. And she’s making a good closing pitch. I’d be worried if I was Raoul.
Yeah that $2-3 million from GovJunk and the guy who backed Roy Moore will be an indy…..pretty sure if the GOPie AG I doing this on TV her polls must have her sinkin’ like a rock.
Winning ad. Perfect message. Nobody has worked harder than Erika Harold and it will be nice change to see that hard work rewarded by a victory that I believe she will have. The new face of the Republican Party. Not angry Ives or angry Proft. A smart but pragmatic conservative.
19th Ward. Spot on with your take. I’m just a measly staffer, but I would rather be lead into battle by her than by completely uninspirational BVR and the current ilgop leadership. Maybe she runs for guv if she call pull this win off and tackle corruption to the extent the office allows her to.
Raoul may have to win ugly if he’s going to win at all: he should run a “Who Owns Erika Harold?” TV ad -featuring Rauner, all the coal miners who gave her money, “hedge fund speculators” (Griffin). She shouldn’t get a “free pass” on independence when 2 people - Rauner and Griffin - have supplied 70% of her campaign money.
You guys are right. Nothing in this ad suggests Erika is a Republican. Except for the part where they call her a Republican and have her side by side with Trump on screen and in the audio.
I’m being a nitpick but I’ve noticed in every ad Erika does this weird head bob thing that for some reason I can’t get over? Every time she says something to make a point she bobs her head forward.
I think I’m losing it at this point. When are the elections over??
Hope springs eternal these days, that someday there will arise another statewide truly independent-minded Republican. Let’s not forget Rauner ran on roughly the same kind of message in 2014. (Maybe Ricketts is up next in 2022?)
But they all seem to default back to following the wishes of the GOP’s small donor class in short order. Frankly I call it a recurring con. Kwame’s too talented and too good a public servant to discard on the (highly unlikely) chance Harold is something different.
- Anon E Moose - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 11:54 am:
…except for funding my campaign
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 11:56 am:
I like it.
What did she say?
Yes, I think she’s perfect.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 11:57 am:
It’s a solid “B”, it’s a solid pass thru concerns voters may have.
The issue(s) of her own beliefs, and staving off the framing of being Rauner’s AG… it’s been a heavy lift, but this is a pretty good ad to some of it.
- AlfondoGonz - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 11:58 am:
“I’m Erika Harold. Please don’t notice that I’m a Republican.”
- Anon0091 - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:00 pm:
It’s a solid ad. A-. I’ve been saying for more than a year that Kwame would have trouble defeating Erika Harold. I wish I had been proven wrong but I worry that she has the best shot for the upset of the night.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:00 pm:
Yes because all that big donor funding she is accepting has no strings attached. Also, if you are independent you can run as one.
- ChanceMcCall - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:01 pm:
This is one of a very few ads I’ve seen this year that has any class to it at all. It also serves to make a very important point regarding the Democrats controlling all of Illinois government. This rarely works out well for anyone. Look at what has already happened in California with the Democrats in almost total control for years.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:01 pm:
===Please don’t notice that I’m a Republican===
It’s up to Raoul to point that out and he really hasn’t.
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:02 pm:
I’m not bought, the other guy is. Hypocrite much?
- Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:02 pm:
“INDEPENDENT” in big letters across the screen for 3 full seconds was an obvious but smart move.
- Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:05 pm:
===I’m not bought, the other guy is. Hypocrite much?===
They both might be….but at least her funder is likely to lose. Sure seems like we’ll have a D legislature, governor, secretary of state, comptroller, and treasurer. Would be nice to have someone keeping Governor Pritzker honest.
- Jibba - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:05 pm:
Yes, Chance, please do look at California. Budget surpluses and booming economy. Beginnings of independent redistricting. Political courage by Dems to pay their bills, instead of years of deficits and gridlock.
- DarkHorsei - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:07 pm:
It’s Harold’s best argument. And it’s uncomplicated. She has enough money to get it across. Raoul is in the uncomfortable position of running negative ads about her now, when he should be making a strong closing positive arguments about himself. And she’s making a good closing pitch. I’d be worried if I was Raoul.
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:11 pm:
===Would be nice to have someone keeping Governor Pritzker honest.===
That’d be Rich and most of the rest of us here. But what would be nicer is having a governor who actually governs.
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:13 pm:
Someone please explain to me how having a Republican AG counters having every other statewide office in Democratic hands.
- Rusty Bridges - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:13 pm:
I’m Erika Harold, I’m paid for by Rauner but I won’t stay bought.
- Annonin - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:14 pm:
Yeah that $2-3 million from GovJunk and the guy who backed Roy Moore will be an indy…..pretty sure if the GOPie AG I doing this on TV her polls must have her sinkin’ like a rock.
- 19th Ward guy - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:15 pm:
Winning ad. Perfect message. Nobody has worked harder than Erika Harold and it will be nice change to see that hard work rewarded by a victory that I believe she will have. The new face of the Republican Party. Not angry Ives or angry Proft. A smart but pragmatic conservative.
- West - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:25 pm:
Huge coup in the Quad Cities with the endorsements calling her an independent.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:26 pm:
Exactly what she needs to make it across the finish line first.
- Bernie Epton RIP - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:28 pm:
Nice ad, is Kwame still mocking her for being a Miss America?
- Huh? - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:29 pm:
“but I won’t stay bought.”
A neophyte politician will soon be taught the lesson of “once bought, you stay bought.”
- Bingo - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:31 pm:
19th Ward. Spot on with your take. I’m just a measly staffer, but I would rather be lead into battle by her than by completely uninspirational BVR and the current ilgop leadership. Maybe she runs for guv if she call pull this win off and tackle corruption to the extent the office allows her to.
- DarkHorse - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:31 pm:
Raoul may have to win ugly if he’s going to win at all: he should run a “Who Owns Erika Harold?” TV ad -featuring Rauner, all the coal miners who gave her money, “hedge fund speculators” (Griffin). She shouldn’t get a “free pass” on independence when 2 people - Rauner and Griffin - have supplied 70% of her campaign money.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:31 pm:
“I’ll never take orders from Mike Madigan.”
Since when the the Attorney General take orders from the Speaker of the House? This is a ridiculous statement.
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:34 pm:
Good ad. Only pet peeve is the small font size of all of the text, especially her name. Not best to instill name recognition.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:35 pm:
“I’m only accountable to the president and the governor.”
Fixed it for ya. Ya dance with who bring ya.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:38 pm:
=== ===Please don’t notice that I’m a Republican===
It’s up to Raoul to point that out and he really hasn’t.===
Most confusing thing about the Raoul campaign.
They want to point out all she “said” and “believes”, yet, it’s never just “Republican”, more about her in a micro bubble.
The better messsge would’ve been to package her as a Republican, then go after all she said and believes.
This ad is taking that tactical calculation of not doing that by Raoul and making her hay where there’s an opening.
- Silly season - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:53 pm:
You guys are right. Nothing in this ad suggests Erika is a Republican. Except for the part where they call her a Republican and have her side by side with Trump on screen and in the audio.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BItQ3nqYqJ8&feature=youtu.be
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:56 pm:
Well, since Rauner will be out of office soon, I guess this Rauner Rino will not be accountable to the next governor.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:56 pm:
- Silly season -
Pointing out I have forgetten about that ad is me making my point too.
I’d like to think I keep up on things. I forgot that ad.
I’m not forgetting this Harold ad…
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 12:59 pm:
===Please don’t notice that I’m a Republican===
It’s up to Raoul to point that out and he really hasn’t.–
Actually, I thought the Harold spot was a counter to the one below that Raoul has been running. Lot of “Trump” and “Republican” in it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BItQ3nqYqJ8
- DuPage Bard - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 1:03 pm:
Good ad.
I’m being a nitpick but I’ve noticed in every ad Erika does this weird head bob thing that for some reason I can’t get over? Every time she says something to make a point she bobs her head forward.
I think I’m losing it at this point. When are the elections over??
- Centennial - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 1:28 pm:
It’s a good ad. I think it particularly is well-played in the current “how low can you go” mud sling. She looks like the grown up in the room.
- ZC - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 1:36 pm:
Hope springs eternal these days, that someday there will arise another statewide truly independent-minded Republican. Let’s not forget Rauner ran on roughly the same kind of message in 2014. (Maybe Ricketts is up next in 2022?)
But they all seem to default back to following the wishes of the GOP’s small donor class in short order. Frankly I call it a recurring con. Kwame’s too talented and too good a public servant to discard on the (highly unlikely) chance Harold is something different.
- Uncle Ernie - Tuesday, Oct 23, 18 @ 6:51 pm:
I like Raoul’s ad I’m seeing on TV, it comes across well and I’ve been seeing it for quite a while.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 24, 18 @ 9:05 am:
Fair enough. I like her, but probably not her year for a successful candidacy.