Wagner’s New TV Ad a Family Affair (With Video)

Pittsburgh Mayoral Candidate Jack Wagner’s new TV spot shoots for a younger audience and employs his daughter to do so.

Jack Sara Wagner fist bump
Fist bump!

The ad is titled “Sara” and opens with his daughter straight-to-camera.

“I’m Sara Wagner. My dad’s Jack Wagner and he’s running for Mayor. He knows what’s important to young people like me. He’s evolved a lot on social issues and I’m really proud of him,” she says.

“And this is the first election that I get to vote for him, and that’s pretty cool.”

The ad ends as the two of them do a fist bump.

In this all-positive ad the goal is to show his understanding of young adults given that Wagner, 65, is the father of a college age child himself. It’s also an apparent effort by Wagner to contest the political base of his chief opponent City Councilman Bill Peduto, who polls have shown with a consistent lead among younger voters.

It as well shows off Wagner’s endorsements by both the The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The content highlights Wagners theme of working with everyone to help every neighborhood. It ends with a father daughter fist-bump.

The ad references Wagner’s change of heart over controversial social issues, although he hasn’t spoken much about such issues over the course of the campaign. He was endorsed in this race by LifePAC, which opposes abortion, and received a $2,500 contribution from the group.

This comes after the debut of a negative ad targeting Peduto, from Mayor Luke Ravenstahl chaired PAC, Citizens for a better Pittsburgh.

In the most recent Keystone Analytics poll, Wagner was at 32% behind Peduto, at 39%. State Rep. Jake Wheatley had 8% and activist AJ Richardson had 1%. 18% of voters remained undecided in the race.

7 Responses

  1. I appreciate everything jack wagner has done as a public official and he has done some great things.but whoever is running his campaign should be fired and refund his money.number 1 ravenstahl ads are doing nothing but hurting wagner.people are tieing them to together.2 you have to have a vision for the city.3 why are all these elected officials in your area against you.wagner has been saying peduto cant get along with others.take a look in your own backyard.

  2. cmon jack keep up the negative ads you and ravenstahl are running.which is working real well not.still dont know your vision for pittsburgh.are you keeping the same employees that work for ravenstahl.i will answer that for you yes.cant run on name alone.got to have a plan.

  3. This might be the most stupid add this election. No content, and totally awkward and scripted. Really, Jack? Do you have any plan for what you’d do as mayor?

Email:
  • Will tonight's U.S. Senate debate affect your decision?


    • No. I've already decided on how to cast my vote. (81%)
    • Yes. Anxious to hear from both candidates (19%)

    Total Voters: 27

    Loading ... Loading ...
Continue to Browser

PoliticsPA

To install tap and choose
Add to Home Screen