Republican Attorney General hopeful Heather Heidelbaugh is on television with a 30 second spot that details her background, while also taking a veiled jab at Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s rumored interest in a higher office.
First reported by Philly Clout, Heidelbaugh, a former Allegheny County Councilwoman and Pittsburgh-area attorney, first television spot of the general election begins by detailing her upbringing, then is followed by a few of her priorities for the office and jabs at the incumbent without mentioning him by name.
“I’m Heather Heidelbaugh. My Dad left us when we were just 8,” Heidelbaugh says at the beginning of the 30 second spot, “I Know”. “I know what it’s like to grow up hungry, to go to bed cold, to get knocked down and to get back up.”
“I understand the problems that people face and I know how to help,” she continues.
The GOP hopeful then pledges to “tackle the mental health crisis” that is “filling our jails, instead of hospitals,” before making a comment directed at Shapiro, without mentioning his name.
“I’ll keep our community safe, keep politics out of the office, and serve my full term,” Heidelbaugh says to camera. “I’m Heather Heidelbaugh and I’ll stand with you.”
Philly Clout reports that Shapiro is “widely expected to run for governor in 2022.”
The Shapiro campaign declined to comment on the ad to PoliticsPA, but told Philly Clout in response to the comments about serving the full term in the ad that AG Shapiro’s promise is to “wake up every day focused on protecting people over powerful special interests,” and added that there are “too many important battles to wage right now to be speculating about what might happen in politics years from now.”
A spokesperson from the Heidelbaugh campaign said that the ad buy is $200,000 in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Wilkes-Barre media markets.
Although this is Heidelbaugh’s first TV spot for the campaign, it’s not the first time she’s placed an ad buy in the race to take a shot at Shapiro.
In May, the Heidelbaugh campaign released a 60 second digital ad criticizing Shapiro over his response to COVID-19 in the state. Heidelbaugh’s campaign also released a digital ad in July that attempted to link Shapiro to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and included images of Philadelphia police officers killed in the line of duty. FOP Lodge 5 President John McNesby blasted the ad for the use of those images of the fallen officers. That ad is no longer on the Heidelbaugh campaign’s Youtube channel.
It appears that a conservative backed political action committee will also be airing TV ads in support of her bid in the near future. Philly Clout reports that the Commonwealth Leaders Fund has booked $435,000 worth of airtime in support of Heidelbaugh’s candidacy, according to Advertising Analytics.
Shapiro bested Republican John Rafferty by over 2.5 points for the open seat in 2016.
The Cook Political Report rates the race as Likely Democratic.
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12 Responses
1/ shapiro has a good record for hi- profile prosecutions and is doing a good job in the eyes of many. what’s to criticize about bringing down pedophile priests , etc ? 2/ the blonde hair is not good. 3/ an ad with no one but white people in it is not good unless you are deliberately trying to be appealing to the alabama portion of PA which hates blacks. . 4/ a person with ZERO prosecutorial experience is unlikely to be the best candidate to be the chief prosecutor for PA.
I’m going to vote for Shapiro, but I am somewhat sure that before becoming AG, he had zero prosecution experience.
Heather, to her credit, is a fierce critic of Donald Trump. We should find out how she stands on Trump’s executive orders to cut Social Security and Medicare payroll contributions and the unfunded mandate for states to pay the unemployed $100 per week while the federal government cuts pandemic assistance. On the other hand, I remember one incident in an asbestos deposition about 25 years ago when she intensively cross-examined a man who had not been drafted during the Vietnam War because he had high blood pressure during a draft physical. Heather suggested to the man that he had intentionally binged on high sodium foods like potato chips and ran up flights of stairs immediately before the physical exam in order to induce high blood pressure for the exam. So I don’t know how much she will stand with regular folks during their hard times, but on the other hand she may have a jaundiced view of Cadet Bone Spurs.
The old useless bag is going to get stomped!
This is a great ad. The first ad should be a killer with all negatives. Josh Shapiro is completing a first term. In his second term if he gets an opportunity to pursue a position that is very common. This ad is a good way to introduce yourself to Pennsylvanians. Immediately starting off with a negative in your to capture people is a fantastic and a grand idea.
This is the best ad I have ever seen, besides Trump’s I mean.
This is a bad ad. The first ad should be positive with no negatives. Josh Shapiro is completing a first term. In his second term if he gets an opportunity to pursue a position that is very common. This ad is not a good way to introduce yourself to Pennsylvanians. Immediately starting off with a negative in your introductory ad is misguided and a bad idea.
By reference to “getting knocked down and getting back up”, is she discussing her marital life (if she has one, or more)? Or is she demeaning dad again? Is abuse also a qualification for office now in Me Too era?
Women suck
I’m not sure how being abandoned by your dad is a qualification for office. Moreover, maybe we should hear her dad’s version of events. Maybe her mother drove him away.
I despise women!
Pull straight Republican !