Updated: In First Campaign Ads, Shumlin Talks About "Getting Tough Things Done"
UPDATE: Shortly after publishing this post, we learned from the Shumlin campaign that the ad mentioned immediately below won't air until Monday. A separate ad featuring Barre Mayor Thom Lauzon and Rutland Mayor Chris Louras, which was just posted on YouTube, began running today. We've included that video at the bottom of this post.
Gov. Peter Shumlin posted his first campaign ad of the season Thursday on YouTube, and it hits on some familiar themes: job creation, health care reform and the state's recovery from Tropical Storm Irene.
If you're like us and you drink every time you hear him say some variation of how he "gets tough things done," then you'd better keep the TV off 'til Nov. 6 — or find yourself a designated driver.
The ad features the governor speaking directly to the camera, with what could pass for the West Wing soundtrack playing in the background. Looking mighty sincere, he tells us, "When you elected me governor, I said we'd get tough things done. And together, we've made it through some tough times."
After breezing through his accomplishments, Shummy flashes us his trademark smile and says, "So I'm asking for your vote. With your help, we'll keep getting tough things done, together."
Here's the ad:
Shumlin's campaign manager Alex MacLean told us earlier this week that the governor's $125,000 ad buy would run for the duration of the campaign, though she declined to say whether they would make additional buys. The governor himself said Wednesday that his campaign planned to run two different ads, though only one is currently available on YouTube.
Just yesterday, Shumlin's Republican opponent, Sen. Randy Brock (R-Franklin) debuted his own new ad, which focuses on Shumlin's tax and spending record.
One last thing that struck us? Shumlin briefly touches on last August's devastating storm, saying that under his watch, the state has been "rebuilding from Irene in less time and for less money than anyone imagined."
Less money than anyone imagined? Could he be referring to the six figures worth of FEMA funding his administration has been counting on but has yet to receive?
UPDATED at 3 p.m.: As mentioned at the top of this post, the ad featuring Shumlin speaking directly to the camera won't air until Monday. We heard back from MacLean shortly after publishing and learned that the governor's first ad, which is now running, actually features Barre's Republican mayor, Thom Lauzon, and Rutland's Republican-turned-independent mayor, Chris Louras.
According to MacLean, the ad starring the mayors will run solo until Monday, at which point both ads will go into rotation.
You may remember that Lauzon and Louras joined five other mayors last month in endorsing Shumlin's campaign at a Statehouse press conference — and that Lauzon pretty much called his fellow Republican's campaign against Shumlin hopeless.
Now the two are making a bipartisan case that Shumlin went to bat for their cities and that he — in case you missed it — gets tough things done.
Here it is:
