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IMA-backed group runs positive ad for Rauner

Wednesday, Oct 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Economic Freedom Alliance just reported spending $1.4 million on a new TV ad supporting Gov. Bruce Rauner…

Notice how the ad is so super positive, but Gov. Rauner isn’t shown until the 12-second mark (and then only briefly) and his name doesn’t appear on screen until five seconds before the ad ends. The thinking may be that when a candidate is as unpopular as Rauner is, they had to set a positive mood before bringing him fully on screen or people would tune out. That’s one reason why I think Rauner’s own recent positive ad doesn’t work well.

The Economic Freedom Alliance is funded by the Illinois Manufacturers Association. No word on where the IMA is getting all this cash. You’ll recall they spent big bucks against Sam McCann this month and ran a “toilet” ad against JB Pritzker.

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“Because they’re the ones who suck”

Wednesday, Oct 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I’ve been telling subscribers about this TV and radio ad campaign for weeks. Crain’s published a story a few days ago…

A media campaign raising alarms about skyrocketing property taxes is a signal that a rift in the state’s Republican Party shows no sign of healing. The campaign comes from Liberty Principles, the Illinois super PAC that once counted Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner as one of its biggest donors.

“Save Your Home Now” ads running on television and radio advocate for a 1 percent “hard cap on property taxes as a percentage of home value,” which it points out has been implemented in California and Indiana. The website claims the plan would halve the property taxes of most Illinois homeowners.

It’s also the same plan proposed by former Rauner opponent Jeanne Ives, the Republican state legislator who challenged the governor in the primary earlier this year. Ives and other independent-minded Republicans have slammed Rauner for not doing enough to bring down taxes in a state whose real estate taxes are the second-highest in the nation.

Liberty Principles Chairman Dan Proft said the purpose of the campaign is to support “independent conservative reform candidates” across Illinois who are committed to the property tax issue. Proft is a Republican political operative and radio host who in recent years has created an empire of stealth conservative media outlets, including local “newspapers” with a clear ideology. […]

Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield, said that efforts like Save Your Home are designed to “really purify and take over the House Republican caucus” from both Democrats and Rauner allies.

* Proft has spent a fortune on these ads to try and drive people to his website. Here’s one…

That tagline is certainly original, at least for a TV ad. But is it working? Proft says the ads are driving traffic to his site. But will that actually help candidates win?

Politics is basically a protection racket. You help me fend off opponents and make me otherwise relatively content and then I support your leadership. If you don’t do either, I run away and find someone else.

This ad campaign is entirely a different thing. I’m really not sure yet what it is.

* I suppose we’ll find out what he intends to do at this upcoming City Club event…

Illinois GOP: Now What?

Moderated by Tom Cross
Dan Proft, Pat Brady & Kristen McQueary

Monday, Nov 19, 2018

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Mendoza launches first re-election ad

Wednesday, Oct 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

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.

* The spot…

* Script…

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.

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