Joe McGraw, the Republican nominee in #IL17, raised $435,331 last quarter. He had just $384,791 on hand as of Oct. 1 — four times less than incumbent Rep. Eric Sorensen.
This is a swingy district. Pritzker won it by two points in 2022, but Alexi Giannoulias lost it by 5 that same year. Joe Biden won it by 7.6 percentage points four years ago.
I’m Judge Joe McGraw and I approve this message. Take away the weatherman Eric Sorensen’s green screen, and there’s a darker side. Sorensen supports exposing minors to life-altering sex changes, hosting drag events that exposed children to adult sexual content, telling adults to bring cash to tip child performers.
‘Congressman Sorensen, do you regret hosting drag shows for children?’
‘No.’
Eric Sorensen. Look beyond the green screen, and you’ll see his values are not our values.
Also, note the uniformed county sheriff who appears in the ad.
More proof that the 2024 GOP has no issues to run on other than wedge ones.
Did he pray on top of a tape of the ad before deciding to release it?
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 11:41 am:
Republicans want you to believe everyone in America is as dementedly obsessed with other people’s sex lives and sexuality as Republican primary voters are. They’re also very eager to distract normal people from the makeup addicted geriatric at the top of their national ticket.
Pathetic hatemongering against other Americans. I give it an F.
- West Side the Best Side - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 11:41 am:
I’ll say it to him again: You’re Retired Judge Joe McGraw.
I have to believe that, at some point, the GOP base will come to realize that the most exposure they have to trans people, drag shows, or the dialogue surrounding either comes from their leaders’ faux hysteria.
I really don’t see how this moves the needle. Maybe it motivates McGraw voters that may have stayed home…? Kitchen table issues are going to grab the undecided.
They think the anti-trans push is a certified winner despite all evidence to the contrary because the right-wing media bubble is fully sealed now. Your base eats it up, great. Now tell me what the other 70% of the electorate thinks when your opponent comes back with “Retired Judge Joe McGraw really, really wants to know what your children have going on in their underwear.”
That this issue is what motivates voters makes me sad and scared for the future. There are real problems in this world, problems that Congress can address. This is not one of them, no matter how people try to make this an actual issue that Congress must tackle.
Fear mongering, hysteria and nonsense. This is what the GOP offers America?
D. McGraw is just burning money with this ad. Election results from the last three cycles and recent polling data confirm that transphobia just doesn’t motivate voters. Gallup put out a poll this month in which voters ranked trans rights dead last on a list of 22 issues that could affect their votes. And those voters that do say they care about it are predominantly Democrats. If Sorensen is smart he’ll recognize that ads like this just make the GOP look weird and out of touch, and won’t even respond.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 12:23 pm:
Noticed that McGraw’s yard signs have “one of us” on them so I guess this ad furthers him attempting to emphasize his belief Sorensen is NOT “one of us” because he’s gay or Democrat or whatever
The obvious tracker footage at the end doesn’t seem that effective to me as a gotcha but I recognize this ad isn’t meant to persuade me
Living near Iowa, we get all of these types of ads against all democrats. Scripts are really similar- must be cheaper for GOP candidates.
I am seriously concerned about our judicial system.
D-
- Proud Papa Bear - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 12:32 pm:
F. Or rather, a perfect ad for today’s GOP.
These folks need to go to an actual drag show. Most are far less sexual than a heterosexual wedding reception.
This McGraw ad is too simplistic, focusing on one issue only - homophobia. It know sex is a dirty word and sinful for many conservatives, but sex is not the only issue that is needed to draw more conservatives to the ballot box, and to compel independent voters to vote against Sorensen. Sorensen’s own ads are more broadly focused and thereby more appealing. The only other ad I have seen for McGraw shows him riding a motorcycle, aping a Hell’s Angel imagery, suggesting he is tough on crime.
- TJ - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 11:36 am:
More proof that the 2024 GOP has no issues to run on other than wedge ones.
Did he pray on top of a tape of the ad before deciding to release it?
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 11:41 am:
Republicans want you to believe everyone in America is as dementedly obsessed with other people’s sex lives and sexuality as Republican primary voters are. They’re also very eager to distract normal people from the makeup addicted geriatric at the top of their national ticket.
Pathetic hatemongering against other Americans. I give it an F.
- West Side the Best Side - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 11:41 am:
I’ll say it to him again: You’re Retired Judge Joe McGraw.
- AlfondoGonz - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 11:48 am:
D-
I have to believe that, at some point, the GOP base will come to realize that the most exposure they have to trans people, drag shows, or the dialogue surrounding either comes from their leaders’ faux hysteria.
- Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 11:48 am:
I really don’t see how this moves the needle. Maybe it motivates McGraw voters that may have stayed home…? Kitchen table issues are going to grab the undecided.
- Roadrager - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 11:55 am:
They think the anti-trans push is a certified winner despite all evidence to the contrary because the right-wing media bubble is fully sealed now. Your base eats it up, great. Now tell me what the other 70% of the electorate thinks when your opponent comes back with “Retired Judge Joe McGraw really, really wants to know what your children have going on in their underwear.”
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 11:58 am:
That this issue is what motivates voters makes me sad and scared for the future. There are real problems in this world, problems that Congress can address. This is not one of them, no matter how people try to make this an actual issue that Congress must tackle.
Fear mongering, hysteria and nonsense. This is what the GOP offers America?
- Neef Jr. - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 11:59 am:
Anon a poll that is almost a year and a 1/2 old isn’t proof that people in that district care.
- ModerateGOP - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 12:00 pm:
D-
A huge missed opportunity here. This is why my party will continue to lose races that could be won.
- Quibbler - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 12:07 pm:
D. McGraw is just burning money with this ad. Election results from the last three cycles and recent polling data confirm that transphobia just doesn’t motivate voters. Gallup put out a poll this month in which voters ranked trans rights dead last on a list of 22 issues that could affect their votes. And those voters that do say they care about it are predominantly Democrats. If Sorensen is smart he’ll recognize that ads like this just make the GOP look weird and out of touch, and won’t even respond.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 12:23 pm:
Noticed that McGraw’s yard signs have “one of us” on them so I guess this ad furthers him attempting to emphasize his belief Sorensen is NOT “one of us” because he’s gay or Democrat or whatever
The obvious tracker footage at the end doesn’t seem that effective to me as a gotcha but I recognize this ad isn’t meant to persuade me
- Interim Retiree - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 12:24 pm:
Living near Iowa, we get all of these types of ads against all democrats. Scripts are really similar- must be cheaper for GOP candidates.
I am seriously concerned about our judicial system.
D-
- Proud Papa Bear - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 12:32 pm:
F. Or rather, a perfect ad for today’s GOP.
These folks need to go to an actual drag show. Most are far less sexual than a heterosexual wedding reception.
- Gravitas - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 12:53 pm:
The production values are quite poor and the message is generic. The commercial is silent about how McGraw would be a better representative.
A missed opportunity and waste of money. Final grade: “F” as in instantly forgettable.
- H-W - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 1:04 pm:
This McGraw ad is too simplistic, focusing on one issue only - homophobia. It know sex is a dirty word and sinful for many conservatives, but sex is not the only issue that is needed to draw more conservatives to the ballot box, and to compel independent voters to vote against Sorensen. Sorensen’s own ads are more broadly focused and thereby more appealing. The only other ad I have seen for McGraw shows him riding a motorcycle, aping a Hell’s Angel imagery, suggesting he is tough on crime.
- Roadrager - Wednesday, Oct 16, 24 @ 1:43 pm:
==aping a Hell’s Angel imagery, suggesting he is tough on crime.==
Conveying how anti-crime you are by cosplaying as one of the Hell’s Angels. Man, this country’s brains are boiled.