5 political ads we’re watching

October 20, 2022

Radio, television, social media, oh my!

With Early Voting just days away, the political ad game is heating up. That’s why we’ve decided to highlight our favorite recent ads from across the airwaves:

First up is a 30-second spot from Mike Collier, Democratic candidate for Texas lieutenant governor. The ad calls out incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick for protecting corporate tax loopholes while Texans pay the price with higher property taxes. Collier ends the ad by reminding Texans that “Dan Patrick has failed. It's time for a change.”

Next is a shocking 40-second ad from Mothers Against Greg Abbott PAC. In the video, a doctor gives pregnancy advice to a person off-screen and says “congratulations.” Instead of panning to a pregnant adult when the doctor leaves the room, it’s revealed that he’s speaking to a child. The PAC ends the ad with the message: “Greg Abbott chose this. What do you choose?”

Luke Warford, the Democratic candidate for the Texas railroad commission (which has nothing to do with railroads), put out a 30-second ad this week reminding voters that “our elected officials should work for us, not their campaign donors.” GOP incumbent Wayne Christian let oil and gas monopolies jack up our utility prices for decades so that he could stuff his pockets after the 2021 grid failures.

The next ad is from Texas Governor candidate Beto O’Rourke. The ad emphasizes how many lives have been lost under Gov. Greg Abbott’s watch because of his selfish refusal to fix the issues affecting everyday Texans. The theme of O’Rourke’s 30-second spot? "How much more must we lose because Greg Abbott is governor?"

The final ad we’re highlighting this week is from Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.); it’s a chilling depiction of the reality of banning abortion. Two police officers interrupt a peaceful family dinner to arrest a person for having an abortion. While the ad doesn’t come from a Texas candidate, the message applies to our election all too well.

Early voting begins Oct. 24. Visit Vote411.org to see what’s on your ballot. For information on Voter IDs, election deadlines, and more, check out GoVoteTexas.org!