Republicans in Virginia’s 5th and 9th Congressional Districts who have watched a spate of general election ads from Democrat incumbents Rep. Tom Perriello and Rep. Rick Boucher, respectively, as well as Rep. Boucher’s independent challenger Jeremiah Heaton, will soon notice the airwaves getting a little more crowded. On Thursday, Republican Del. Morgan Griffith announced the release of his first ad via Twitter. Friday, Sean Harrison, campaign manager for state Sen. Robert Hurt’s congressional campaign, emailed supporters to announce that Sen. Hurt’s first ad, entitled “Generations,” was hitting the airwaves in the Charlottesville and Roanoke media markets. Both ads strike a positive tone, introducing would-be constituents to the Republican candidates vying for their support.
The “air war” in the 9th Congressional District has been remarkably civil, with Rep. Boucher reintroducing himself to his constituents. In his ads, Boucher describes his lifelong connection to the people and places of the district and his affinity for their shared values. He touts his opposition to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, while also attempting to explain his support for Cap-and-Trade. Through both, Rep. Boucher always returns to one theme: “this district is my home”–an obvious, yet subtle reminder than Del. Griffith lives just outside the boundary of the 9th District. (The property adjoining Del. Griffith’s property is in the 9th and, as a state delegate, Morgan Griffith represents some constituents who reside in the 9th Congressional District.)
Unlike the 9th, the air war in 5th Congressional District, despite its humorous beginning, took a sharply negative turn this week after Rep. Perriello released two ads criticizing Sen. Hurt for his absence from a recent candidate forum, his vote against extending unemployment benefits last February and his opposition to closing a tax loophole. Research suggests that, although unpopular, negative ads are quite effective. Interestingly, Isaac Wood of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, describes Rep. Perriello’s latest ads as unconventional ads that “call[] out his opponent,” but “doesn’t feel like an attack ad.” It remains to be seen is if voters distinguish between conventional, negative ads and attack ads that “don’t feel like attack ads.”
As if anyone needed any reminder just how high the stakes are this November, the fact that all five candidates in the 9th and 5th Congressional Districts are now airing television ads before Labor Day should be a sufficient clue that this year no one plans to leave anything to chance.
