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One of the best ads of 2016

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* I didn’t see this press release when it came out last Friday, but I did see the ad last night. It’s pretty darned good…

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis’ (R-Ill.) campaign today launched its first television ad of the 2016 general election telling the story of Jonny Wade, a seven-year-old boy from Jerseyville who lost his battle with brain cancer last Christmas Eve.

The ad features Kim Wade, Jonny’s mother, who reached out to Davis’ office to help carry out Jonny’s mission of receiving more than four percent funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for pediatric cancer research so no other kid has to have cancer.

“As a father of twin boys, Jonny and Jacky’s bond hit home for me,” said Davis. “Jonny’s mission to ensure no kid ever has to have cancer should be this country’s next ‘moonshot.’ Cancer has impacted the lives of nearly every American, regardless of political affiliation. This is an issue Republicans and Democrats in Washington should be able to come together on. I continue to work with my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to advance research and make Jonny’s mission of curing cancer a reality.”

* The entire one-minute spot features Johnny’s mom speaking to the camera, with photos of the child and Congressman Davis interspersed…

This is what it’s supposed to be all about.

* Transcription…

When Johnny was 7 years old, he was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma. Brain cancer. 363 days later, he passed away.

Johnny, from the very beginning, said “Mama, I don’t want any other kid to have cancer.” And so it became a mission for him, and now a mission for me.

Only 4 percent of the National Cancer Institute’s budget goes to pediatric cancer research.

Before Johnny had passed, Congressman Davis came and saw him. Johnny pointed to his head and said “I want help with this. I want more than 4 percent.”

Rodney Davis has been instrumental in getting more funding for pediatric cancer. We just need more people like Rodney Davis and his leadership.

If Johnny was here today, he would be giving a fist bump to Rodney Davis for all that he has done.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 10:56 am

Comments

That right there, in a nutshell, is why the DCCC no longer targets IL13.

Comment by Solid ad Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 11:06 am
Wish this seat was in Dem hands but very good ad and definitely cuts through the clutter.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 11:08 am
confused…can’t comprehend…political ad based on…accomplishments?!

Comment by Earnest Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 11:13 am
Good on Rep. Davis, an Illinois Republican who understands that the fight against cancer is non-partisan and non-political, and that life-saving government funding for that fight should not be held hostage to any political agenda.

That seems like just simple decency and common sense, but not every politician in this state thinks that way.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 11:14 am
Sure would be nice if this bipartisanship extended to things like budgets that support health care research and VA funding.

Comment by Delimma Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 11:20 am
Extremely moving. Lovely to see an ad where it only speaks to something so positive that someone is doing. That ad will stick to a lot of brain cells in the memory bank and stick to the ribs right next to the heart. Beautifully done.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 11:24 am
It is a good ad but does not change my opinion of “Repeal and Replace” Rodney and those like him. Until they can produce the Replace part of all that this comes under the heading of nice but how about a workable health care alternative.

Comment by Bemused Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 11:32 am
It’s a terrific heartwarming ad and should be very effective.

However I have a question - was funding for pediatric cancer increased by increasing overall cancer research funding or was funding redirected away from other types of cancer research?

Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 11:34 am
What happens when families like these lose their health insurance because the GOP repeals Obamacare?

Comment by Chucktownian Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 12:05 pm
Please, God, make positive message stuff like this work so well that candidates move to doing it instead of the usual slime.

Comment by titan Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 12:24 pm
Good ad, but what has Davis actually done?

I see a 21st Century Cures Act sitting the Senate.

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 12:37 pm
HS classmate lost a daughter to brain cancer, when she shared how little funding goes for research into pediatric cancer it shocked me and changed the way I give to health charities/research groups.

Comment by Oneman Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 12:59 pm
Beautiful commercial. So sad that it is so singular.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 1:17 pm
This ad tugs at the heart strings. But it does not tell you that Davis votes against laws to clean up our environment, and the air we breath and water we drink, as well as our diets have a lot to do with causing cancer. Davis is wholly deficient in these areas. A Congressman who is a medical doctor could probably do a lot more to reduce pediatric and other forms of the deadly disease.

Comment by Johnyy Justice Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 1:24 pm
Excellent ad — but without the ACA, would Johnny be hitting annual or even lifetime healthcare limits?

Comment by IllinoisBoi Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 1:41 pm
Yup.
This is the kind of incumbent ad that reelects.

I despise the other ads that pretend to be about a candidate.

Any incumbent must tell voters what they’ve done in office and why they should be reelected.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 2:00 pm
Many issues, many fights are not partisan ones in the least. They are human ones. This ad warms my heart. May it have an effect not only for constituent voters in Rodney’s district, but also serve as a future template to all the screamers and purveyors of nasty negative ads which voters of all stripes increasingly reject and revile –and consider to be pollution of the airways.

Comment by Responsa Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 2:32 pm
I live in his district. He just got my vote.

My child had cancer. Worst 3 1/2 years of my life. Seven years out from final treatment and still cancer free. No child or parent should have to go through that pain.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 2:39 pm
In the words of the esteemed Rich Miller: “More like this, please.”

Comment by thunderspirit Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 3:01 pm
exactly how has he done that? no one ever asks about the specifics.

Comment by jerry g lives Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 3:15 pm
More like this, please. Mr. Davis used his ad to promote himself in the election (it IS an ad) but also promoted cancer funding education. I live in his district and the family and their ties with Mr. Davis were covered locally in local media. I appreciate his commitment to the Wade family. I also appreciate the time that I know he has spent in local schools.

Comment by FAIRNESS AND FAIRNESS ONLY Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 3:23 pm
Good commercial — but he’s trying to take credit for something the Obama Administration is pushing and it really misrepresent the public health issue, and makes it look like 4% of the total budget isn’t a priority.

In terms of the percentage of national cancer research going towards pediatric cancer — it was already four times greater than the rate of occurrence in the population.

“Childhood cancers make up less than 1% of all cancers diagnosed each year. About 10,380 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2016″

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancerinchildren/detailedguide/cancer-in-children-key-statistics

Comment by Anon Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 4:35 pm
When my fiancée was diagnosed with stage. 4 pancreatic cancer she reached out to representative Davis. His office received her letter on Jan. 28, 2015. She ask d for his assistance. While receiving chemo therapy at the Siteman Cancer Center inArnold, Mo. Davis’ office told her there was nothing they could do for her and they hung up on her. I am. U here fly doing everything in my power to make these facts known to his constituents

Comment by Beeman Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 5:02 pm