First TV Ads of Fall Campaign Hit the Airwaves
Congressman Eric Sorensen (D-Moline) is up with his first television ad of the fall campaign.
NOTE: This story was originally posted for subscribers only. To receive subscriber-only newsletters and content, click here.
The first two television ads of the fall campaign are up in vastly different forms.
The campaign of freshman Congressman Eric Sorensen (D-Moline) launched its first ad this week, leaning into his former career as a TV weatherman.
Sorensen’s ad buy appears to be airing on broadcast stations in Peoria/Bloomington, the Quad Cities, and Rockford. Sources say a large cable buy is also part of the first round of ads.
Sorensen’s 17th District is the only likely competitive district in the state this fall. He faces Republican former Winnebago County Judge Joe McGraw.
McGraw attacked Sorensen’s ad in a fundraising appeal with supporters Thursday.
“Sorensen’s latest ad portrays him as a pragmatic moderate, but Illinoisans know better after watching him take orders from Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi for the last two years,” the e-mail reads. “Sorensen has voted lockstep with Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi since the day he was sworn into office.”
Sorensen has a significant fundraising advantage over McGraw.
President Biden won the district by 8 points in 2020 and some Republicans are concerned McGraw’s campaign is “blowing” the opportunity for a GOP pickup.
The first legislative candidate on the air isn’t a cash Democrat, but a Senate GOP candidate.
Philip Nagel is attempting to unseat Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) in a district that stretches from the Kankakee area to the far south suburbs.
Sources say the Nagel ad is a cable-only buy, though the details weren’t available in public filings Thursday. Senate Republicans didn’t comment.
The ad calls Joyce a “career politician,” though he never held elected office before his appointment to the Senate in 2019. His father, Jerry Joyce, served in the Senate for 17 years, leaving office more than 30 years ago.
The ad alleges Joyce is “controlled by Chicago party bosses” showing indicted former House Speaker Michael Madigan, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, and convicted former Alderman Ed Burke on screen next to a photo of Joyce, tying them to legislative pay raises Joyce received (even though none of them have voted on legislative pay increases.)
Notably, Governor Pritzker is not mentioned or shown in the ad.
It’s an indication Senate Republicans feel the Nagel/Joyce race is the best, and maybe only, opportunity for the GOP to make up any ground in a generally uncompetitive environment for them in November.
President Biden won the district by about 6 points in 2020. Joyce beat Nagel by about ten points in 2022, but Senate Republicans did not invest heavily in the race.
House Democrats are piling mail into numerous House districts, including multiple pieces for Reps. Harry Benton (D-Plainfield), Sharon Chung (D-Bloomington), and Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia). They’re also mailing into districts for Amy Murri Briel in the open 76th House District, for former Rep. LaToya Greenwood, who is attempting to win back the 114th district seat, and for Billy Morgan, who is attempting to unseat Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Bourbonnais).
Fundraising reports show House Dems have already spent over $700,000 in direct mail. House Republicans are mailing in a few districts, including for Rep. Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt), but appear to be getting buried under Democratic cash already in the cycle.
No House Democrat candidates are up on TV, but multiple are getting digital video buys.
