AdWatch: Rep. Labrador launches first TV campaign commercial since 2010

1 ^st District GOP Congressman Raul Labrador, who did no TV advertising in either his 2012 or 2014 campaigns, has launched a new TV campaign commercial that’s running across the 1 ^st Congressional District, including in the Boise and Lewiston broadcast markets as well as on DirectTV and DISH in North Idaho, though not in the pricey Spokane broadcast TV market that covers North Idaho.

The ad introduces Labrador and tells the story of how he was raised by a single mother who helped him succeed and urged him toward public service. “He’s been there for a few years and still had not taken the opportunity to tell his story, what drives him,” said China Gum, a senior advisor to Labrador’s re-election campaign. “That’s what this ad is all about.”

She said it will be followed by another “in the next couple of weeks,” and said, “The ads work together to tell folks what he’s been working on and what’s driving him.”

Jim Weatherby, BSU professor emeritus, said, “I think it’s an effective, feel-good ad that includes a little bit of optimism, which we haven’t seen much in this general campaign.”

Asked why Labrador didn’t take to the airwaves in his last two campaigns but is doing so now, Gum said, “It’s very expensive.” This time, she said, “He had saved up enough money to do it.” Plus, she said, Labrador said based on the questions that people asked him at his town hall meetings, he felt they didn’t know his back story. “I think that Raul is really looking forward to being able to connect with people in a way that he has not connected with them before,” Gum said, “by sharing his life story as so many Idahoans have shared their life stories with him.”

Weatherby said, “He has an incredible personal story to tell, and I think regardless of what people think of his politics and record, they recognize that.”

Here’s a look at the ad and what it says:

WHAT IT SAYS

“I was raised by a single mom. Sometimes she was working two and three jobs. Her entire goal in life was to make sure that I had the opportunities she didn’t have. She always told me that I had a moral responsibility to give back. That’s one of the reasons I’m in public service. We have a government that continues to make it more difficult for individuals to achieve their dreams. I still think the American dream is possible. That’s what I’m fighting for. I’m Raul Labrador and I approved this message.”

THE CLAIMS

Aside from telling Labrador’s personal story, the ad really makes just one claim, when it says, “We have a government that continues to make it more difficult for individuals to achieve their dreams.” Gum said, “There’s a litany of reasons why he believes the government makes it hard for people to achieve the American dream.” Asked for examples, she pointed to “government overreach in regulations, the EPA.”

Weatherby said, “It’s more of an ideological statement, not necessarily factual. Typically, conservatives will agree, liberals won’t.”

WATCH ONLINE

You can watch the ad here .