Virginia’s major party senatorial candidates will have their first debate this weekend (in West Virginia), and while the vast majority of voters will neither see nor hear the full exchange between Mark Warner and Ed Gillespie, they may see the headlines written afterwards.
The real object for the debaters, then, is winning those headlines. And in that regard, Ed Gillespie has an opportunity not just to win, but to put Mark Warner on his heels.
One way to do that is for Gillespie to ditch the dreary, and utterly stale, national GOP talking points and do a bit of marketing — a stunt, if you will.
Gillespie should ask Warner to declare, and put his name to, a pledge that neither candidate will engage in negative advertising. Yes, the definition of “negative ads” is fluid. But Sen. Warner has some experience with such ads and putting Warner on the spot to live up to his image as a different kind of politician who reaches across the aisle, tries to rise above the fray and so on is a move Gillespie must make.
Gillespie could begin by using Warner’s own words about negative ads…
So, not only could the pledge be for the candidates to refrain from sliming one another, it could be further spun to divert monies that might otherwise be spent on such ads to an educational charity. And if Gillespie wants to go even further, he could ask that outside groups looking to dump money into the race against Warner should instead do something that matters much more — giving scholarships to needy Virginia kids.
Just like Warner said he would like to see happen back in 2012.
If additional support is needed, Gillespie can also point to Warner’s first run for Senate back in 1996. Then, incumbent Sen. John Warner fired his media consultant for doctoring photos in an attack ad aimed at Mark (who called it an example of “old-style smear politics”).
John Warner made it a point not to go negative after that incident. Mark didn’t win that race, but he performed much better than expected (his free spending ways certainly helped, too).
For Gillespie, there is no downside to asking Warner to make such a pledge. He forces Warner, in a public forum, to make a stand. It’s a simple “yes” or “no.” And should Gillespie want to turn up the heat, he can have a signed “clean campaign” pledge in his hand, ready to give to Warner on stage (remember to have a pen handy, Ed).
Is it a gimmick? Of course. It’s also a way for Gillespie to come right out of the gate with a headline that says he’s pledged to a clean campaign, and will urge outside groups to put their ad budgets in a scholarship fund rather than in the pockets of TV stations. Warner’s response becomes a big part of the story.
Voters will see it. They will get it. And they may see Gillespie as the guy who isn’t like all the other pols running for office. Like Mark Warner says he is.
So far, Virginians have been fortunate that this campaign has not been a replay of the ugly 2013 gubernatorial contest. Warner has the resources to pulverize Gillespie, if he desires. He hasn’t, yet. A pledge from Gillespie to keep it that way works for him twice over…forcing Warner to live up to a goal he set.
And win the debate headlines.
