Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie McGinty released two new selfie-esque statewide network TV ads.
Perhaps hoping to set these ads apart from those of other candidates, McGinty is believed to be the first to film her campaign commercials on an iPhone and they detail her childhood family life and the opportunities she would like to see working families get.
The first ad, “Family Photos,” details McGinty’s childhood. Various snapshots of her family and home from then are shown throughout as McGinty speaks about her father, a police officer, and her mother, who worked overnight in a restaurant.
“When she’d work Christmas we’d celebrate a day late,” McGinty says. “But we had everything we needed. Today, hard working families can’t get ahead. That’s why I’m running for governor – better jobs, better schools and better opportunities.”
Her second ad, “Every Child,”, where McGinty talks about how she earned a full ride to “St. Joe’s” and became one of just a dozen women majoring in chemistry before moving on to law school.
“I worked in the White House with President Clinton, and here with Governor Rendell,” McGinty says over photos of herself with Clinton and Rendell. “We protected the environment, and created jobs. As a mom, I want every child to have the chance I had.”
Both ads will be running from February 21 to February 25 in every media market, sans Philadelphia and Erie. They will run primarily during local news.
Based on the buys she made in the Harrisburg and Pittsburgh market, the ballpark total would be around $182K. According to her campaign, McGinty will now stay on TV for the duration of the campaign.
This move is differs from the one McGinty made in January when she bought two spots to air an ad during the State of the Union. Specifically, that one only played on CNN and MSNBC for that night, so “Family Photos” and “Every Child” will reach a significantly higher number of voters.
Because of a recent addition to the Democratic primary, McGinty now faces seven opponents in the race for governor: former Auditor General Jack Wagner, State Treasurer Rob McCord, Rep. Allyson Schwartz, fellow former PA DEP Secretary John Hanger, former Revenue Secretary Tom Wolf, Lebanon County Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz, and pastor Max Myers.