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Rossi & Gregoire Now Toe-to-Toe

Submitted by Eric Earling on Fri, 08/08/2008 - 02:38
in

For the first time in this campaign, Washington gubernatorial candidates Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire are squared off in directly competing TV ads, marking a new phase in the contest...even though neither campaign is doing much to talk about the spots besides popping them up on YouTube.

First, from Rossi:

 
There is clearly blood in the water on the issue of gas prices, inflation, and the general feeling that the state's citizens aren't getting their money's worth for the taxes they pay to Olympia. Rossi will be incredibly well served if he can capitalize on this issue, especially since Gregoire's campaign conspicuously avoids discussing the general angst in the electorate (a delicate dance that has become almost comical).
 
The immediate response from Gregoire:
 

This comeback is somewhat bizarre given the obvious problem that while Rossi voted for the nickel gas tax increase in 2003, Gregoire then advocated for and signed an additional 9.5 cent hike in 2005 - a move Rossi publicly opposed. That's a clear point of separation Gregoire's campaign would obviously like to obfuscate - even as they've made an odd choice to engage on gas taxes of all issues.

The rest of her ad recycles some of the same complaints from 2004 against the bi-partisan budget Rossi worked on in the state Senate, which was approved by a Democratic-controlled House and signed by Governor Locke. There's little reason to think that attacks which couldn't stop Rossi from outperforming the Republican ticket last time around will have more impact now.
 
Meanwhile, note the continued dissonance between the ad campaigns. Rossi's ads feature him, speaking directly to the camera (and the electorate). Gregoire's ads are narrated, either by her or a male voice. It's a continued signal one candidate connects with voters easier than the other...even before you start talking about the substance of the ads themselves.
 
Cross-posted at Sound Politics.

 

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