With the midterm elections coming to an end, I’ve collected this election year’s most outrageous political advertisements from Maryland and around the country.
Advertisement: RGA – Martin O’Malley “Lighthouse”
Race: Maryland Gubernatorial Race
Politicians: Robert Ehrlich (R) attacking Martin O’Malley (D)
Advertisement By: Republican Governors Association
Hit or Miss: Miss
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDsvu87X6t0
I guarantee no geographers will vote for Robert Ehrlich after seeing this ad from the Republican Governors Association. The advertisement tries to blatantly attack Governor Martin O’Malley, but the advertisement seems to hurt Robert Ehrlich the most. The political ad begins with the typical negativity, trying to present a dramatized version of O’Malley’s record. But after 13 seconds, the commercial tries to highlight the economic struggles of Marylanders in an outline of the state of Maryland. However, the shape of the state of Maryland is completely wrong. The Republican Governors Association added Virginia’s Southampton and Accomack Counties to Maryland’s Eastern shore. While Ehrlich didn’t explicitly state his support for the advertisement, the commercial is a miss for Ehrlich’s campaign, making Ehrlich seem ignorant of his duties on the Eastern Shore.
Advertisement: Political Insidersaurus: Eric Wargotz on the Hunt
Race: Maryland Race for Senate
Politicians: Eric Wargotz (R) attacking Barbara Mikulski (D)
Advertisement By: Eric Wargotz
Hit or Miss: Hit
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3k6PM9AEos
Finally, someone went in a different direction from the blatant, boring attacks. Eric Wargotz’s Political Insidersaurus commercial is advertising genius. Even Mikulski supporters have to laugh with Mikulski’s head smashed on the head of a dinosaur, screeching like an angry reptile. But the ad wouldn’t be complete without the Australian narrator, reminiscent of Animal Planet’s “The Crocodile Hunter.” The ad is hilarious while driving home Wargotz’s point that he’s in touch with Maryland voters. I can only imagine the fun Wargotz had with his binoculars and Crocodile Hunter outfit on the steps of the Capitol. While voters may question Wargotz’s seriousness as a politician, the ad is an unforgettable success.
Advertisement: Chris Coons the Taxman
Race: Delaware Race for Senate
Politicians: Christine O’Donnell (R) attacking Chris Coons (D)
Advertisement By: Friends of Christine O’Donnel
Hit or Miss: Hit
Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/Christine4Senate#p/u/4/T5aJAyBp_S8
O’Donnell cranked up the fear factor in her campaign attacks against Chris Coons in this advertisement. Edited as if it was the next box-office horror thriller, O’Donnell’s advertisement is a total hit. No one can look away with the suspenseful score and dramatic, mysterious narration. “Hide your will. Hide your lights ‘cause he’s taxing everything out here,” the narrator reads — a clear reference to YouTube-sensation Antoine Dodson’s line, “Hide your kids, hide your wife.” The reference to Dodson adds even more humor and appeals to the younger voters. The final shot of Coons with a can flowing with money and the words “Tax Man” stretched across the screen is powerfully engaging and a success for O’Donnell’s campaign.
Advertisement: Dwight McKenna “Coroner”
Race: New Orleans Race for Coroner
Politicians: Dr. Dwight McKenna attacking Frank Minyard
Advertisement By: Dr. Dwight McKenna Campaign Fund
Hit or Miss: Miss
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRgCOXaiDjQ
Nothing ruins a candidate’s image like the illegal sale of body parts, but McKenna’s advertisement is too radical for voters to take seriously. Instead of professionally presenting the “facts,” McKenna belabored his point that Minyard sold body parts from the coroner’s office, and the Frankenstein reference turned the advertisement into a complete joke. If McKenna simply stated that his opponent may have sold body parts from the dead, the commercial could have been a success. McKenna uses both serious dramatization and humor, a combination that sent his commercial to the “miss” pile.
Advertisement: Reid, Pelosi, and Obama: Love Triangle
Race: Nevada Race for Senate
Politicians: Sharron Angle (R) attacking Harry Reid (D)
Advertisement By: Friends of Sharron Angle
Hit or Miss: Miss
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jJWBwv2yFU&feature=player_embedded
It’s clear that Angle wants to paint Senate Majority Leader Reid as a radical left-wing politician, and Reid is doing the exact opposite in his own campaigns against Angle. However, Angle’s “Love Triangle” commercial may just go too far, and she unsuccessfully uses jazzy love music and pictures of hugging politicians. While I understand that Angle is trying to position herself as the right choice among her opponents, her tactics are a little disturbing. As Senate Majority Leader, Reid is an important symbol of the Democratic Party, and with Angle’s outlandish advertisements, it looks like he may stay an important symbol for the next four years.
Joey Hoff can be reached for comment at [email protected]