In the spot titled “Sh*t,” Congresswoman Marie Newman’s campaign dismisses attacks from one of Sean Casten’s SuperPACs, Democratic Majority for Israel, which is dumping six figures in a campaign to erase a lifelong Democrat and progressive woman from Congress.
The ad features Newman walking her dog and dismissing false attacks on her from Casten’s dark money allies as “Sh!t,” then pivots to the differences between her and Casten: “So here’s the truth: I grew up here, and have been a lifelong progressive Democrat. Casten voted for anti-choice Republicans like George Bush. I’ve always fought to protect reproductive rights, an economy for all, and universal health care. Sean Casten hasn’t. I don’t accept corporate money, while Casten has taken a million dollars from corporate PACs.”
The new Newman ad references Casten moving to this area just a decade ago and buying his way into Congress - accepting nearly $1 million in corporate contributions and relying on SuperPACs spending six figures to attack his female opponents. The ad goes live across Illinois’ new 6th District June 1st.
Sean Casten regularly encourages SuperPACs to engage in his congressional campaigns to tear down progressive women. Mr. Casten is currently under Federal Election Commission investigation for allegedly “illegally [colluding] with a SuperPAC funded by his wealthy father in airing $130,000 worth of ads attacking a Casten primary rival then, Kelly Mazeski.”
He and his SuperPAC are now spending six figures to tear down Congresswoman Newman. This formula has played out in PA12, TX28, and OR05 where a dark money SuperPAC spends six to seven figures to tear down progressive women fighting for working families in their districts.
Hi, I’m Congresswoman Marie Newman, and unfortunately, you’re going to hear a lot of s*** about me from my opponent, Sean Casten. So here’s the truth: I grew up here, and have been a lifelong progressive Democrat. Casten voted for anti-choice Republicans like George Bush. I’ve always fought to protect reproductive rights, an economy for all, and universal health care. Sean Casten hasn’t. I don’t accept corporate money, while Casten has taken a million dollars from corporate PACs. I approve this message because unlike Sean Casten, I’ll always fight for our progressive values.
Yeah, I know it’s after hours, but I was looking through A-1s and saw the press release, so I figured you might wanna rate it tonight.
34 Comments
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 5:39 pm:
F. I get the strategy of attacking Casten, but you should never swear in political ads. It is going to turn off more voters than it will mobilize against Casten.
I love me some swearing, but this commercial is Sh*t.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 6:09 pm:
===It’ll definitely stand out amongst the clutter.===
Maybe I am wrong, but I cannot see it playing well in the suburbs. The rest is laying on the progressive bona fides pretty thickly too. Did Wheaton turn into Moscow or something when I wasn’t looking?
The spectators on this site really don’t understand NewMAN, her target audience, or the district she’s running in. Southwest siders are going to love this. Especially the new early millennial voters who grew up on programs like the office, always sunny, and other hot improv shows.
NewMAN is a strategic marketer, she tests everything out before rolling. Her A/B tests approved of this idea.
Solid B to B+, don’t really mind the swearing. Don’t really think that’ll hurt her. Most of it’s good, the George Bush thing kind of rubs me the wrong way though by not specifying which Bush Casten voted for (HW)
Her district has a large Palestinian community. She wasn’t particularly voting against Israel, but representing a growing constituency. Casten will inherit them if he wins. My gut feeling is that he’ll win with a significant margin. Newman’s progressive politics is a mismatch for her district.
First, gross. Second, the visual image of Newman and her voice is connected with the dog doing its business and then her throwing said business in the trash.
- Back to the Future - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 9:19 am:
Just shows our local media owners have no filters for the rubbish they will put on TV.
As long as someone is paying them our media folks will put anything on the air.
@- Back to the Future - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 9:19 am:
===Just shows our local media owners have no filters for the rubbish they will put on TV.
As long as someone is paying them our media folks will put anything on the air. ===
There is some federal regulation that political ads cannot be censored.
Unfortunately, she’s currently my Rep. Met Sean Casten over the weekend, was very impressed and will happily vote for him. This type of ad (with a dog dropping and swearing) is really in poor taste and bad judgement.
She should have contacted the guys at South Park and had Mr. Hankey make a cameo. It would be on par with the taste of this ad overall. Call up Lance Briggs from the Football Aftershow - my guess is the professor would give this ad the same grade I did: F-.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 5:39 pm:
F. I get the strategy of attacking Casten, but you should never swear in political ads. It is going to turn off more voters than it will mobilize against Casten.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 5:44 pm:
===you should never swear in political ads===
It’ll definitely stand out amongst the clutter.
- Keyrock - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 5:50 pm:
Not a Newman fan, but this ad is not as poopy as I thought it would be. I agree it will stand out, and the Bush-voter hit may stick.
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 5:52 pm:
D. Kind of vulgar and reeks of desperation. Might instead encourage people to seek out what Casten is saying.
“I grew up here” needs an asterisk. * Not “in the district here” but pretty close.
- Kate Cloonen - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 5:56 pm:
F. I do not like the foul language in political ads or on the floor of the state legislature or Congress. Whatever happened to decorum?
- Wowir - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 6:00 pm:
Maybe she should try offering a job to the super pacs in exchange for their undying loyalty 🤣
- Amalia - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 6:05 pm:
I love me some swearing, but this commercial is Sh*t.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 6:09 pm:
===It’ll definitely stand out amongst the clutter.===
Maybe I am wrong, but I cannot see it playing well in the suburbs. The rest is laying on the progressive bona fides pretty thickly too. Did Wheaton turn into Moscow or something when I wasn’t looking?
- Nick - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 6:10 pm:
It… kind of falls flat.
Not necessarily because she swore but the entire tone was way too quick which just made it feel obviously gimmicky.
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 6:19 pm:
Also that better not be a stunt dog.
- James - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 6:26 pm:
F. Simultaneously accusing your opponent of attacking you while attacking your opponent is obviously hypocritical.
- Graceland's Neighbor - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 6:44 pm:
Has the Casten team run any negative ads? I have not seen any. Kind of funny for one candidate to accuse another of what they themselves are doing.
They send out a press release basically every day bringing up her bribery scandal, but that’s a far cry from putting money into it.
- danray - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 6:50 pm:
like, why can’t I can’t get my sh*t together.
Foot shot.
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 6:55 pm:
I’m glad I already ate dinner. Oy, I normally would love something like this. For some reason, I’m just grossed out.
- Reg - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 7:45 pm:
Revolting.
- DuPageDD - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 7:50 pm:
I wouldn’t trust Marie Newman to walk my dog.
- SubRosa - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 7:53 pm:
F, Marie Ew-man. Way to lower the bar.
- G'Kar - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 8:23 pm:
F. I don’t care who made the ad, Dem or Rep–but any ad that features a dog defecating will not win my political support.
- Jibba - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 8:34 pm:
D. Distasteful. Also, distorting your opponent’s record is also mostly disqualifying to me.
===to erase a lifelong Democrat and progressive woman===
No, just elect someone other than you. That is neither a crime nor misogyny. Dems have enough diversity that these charges fall flat.
- Responsa - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 8:45 pm:
Casten won that round easily by default, and somebody else paid for the ad. This is a big ol’ skeevy miss by Marie. D.
- UPS - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 8:56 pm:
The spectators on this site really don’t understand NewMAN, her target audience, or the district she’s running in. Southwest siders are going to love this. Especially the new early millennial voters who grew up on programs like the office, always sunny, and other hot improv shows.
NewMAN is a strategic marketer, she tests everything out before rolling. Her A/B tests approved of this idea.
- olddog - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 9:09 pm:
Seems like basically an imitation of an effective ad Sen. Warnock used in the 2020 Georgia US Senate race. Kind of heavy-handed, though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S892A_Km1TQ
- Chris in ChiTown - Tuesday, May 31, 22 @ 9:58 pm:
The ad is a A- to B+. It was a good commercial.
- Chris - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 3:17 am:
Solid B to B+, don’t really mind the swearing. Don’t really think that’ll hurt her. Most of it’s good, the George Bush thing kind of rubs me the wrong way though by not specifying which Bush Casten voted for (HW)
- Southwest Sider - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 7:37 am:
Her district has a large Palestinian community. She wasn’t particularly voting against Israel, but representing a growing constituency. Casten will inherit them if he wins. My gut feeling is that he’ll win with a significant margin. Newman’s progressive politics is a mismatch for her district.
- low level - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 8:26 am:
F. Ridiculous.
- Moe Berg - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 8:57 am:
Stands out, but not in a good way.
First, gross. Second, the visual image of Newman and her voice is connected with the dog doing its business and then her throwing said business in the trash.
- Back to the Future - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 9:19 am:
Just shows our local media owners have no filters for the rubbish they will put on TV.
As long as someone is paying them our media folks will put anything on the air.
- Jocko - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 9:23 am:
C-. Her cursing and the visual is a turnoff…while glossing over the accusation. Casten didn’t vote for reproductive rights? Really?
- walker - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 11:29 am:
Pretty good ad. Simple and to the point.
But uninspiring.
- DuPage - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 12:29 pm:
@- Back to the Future - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 9:19 am:
===Just shows our local media owners have no filters for the rubbish they will put on TV.
As long as someone is paying them our media folks will put anything on the air. ===
There is some federal regulation that political ads cannot be censored.
- MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 1:28 pm:
Own goal.
– MrJM
- Old IL Dude - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 3:45 pm:
Unfortunately, she’s currently my Rep. Met Sean Casten over the weekend, was very impressed and will happily vote for him. This type of ad (with a dog dropping and swearing) is really in poor taste and bad judgement.
- Just a guy - Wednesday, Jun 1, 22 @ 3:59 pm:
She should have contacted the guys at South Park and had Mr. Hankey make a cameo. It would be on par with the taste of this ad overall. Call up Lance Briggs from the Football Aftershow - my guess is the professor would give this ad the same grade I did: F-.