third party ads

With the state's "top two" primary coming up in just over two weeks, August and advertising go together like checks and envelopes at a campaign kickoff party. In addition to all the ads that have gone up lately, here is a rundown of who else is buying time on the airwaves to spread their message.

Governor Chris Gregoire is up with two new spots in Eastern Washington, called "Understanding Spokane" and "Understanding Yakima". The two ads are essentially the same, touting dry side roots and Eastern Washington-specific job growth as well as farm and water policies enacted under Gregoire, but differ when talking about where Gregoire spent time earlier in her life.

Evergreen Progress, the 527 interest group backing Gov. Chris Gregoire and fueled by more than a million dollars mostly from labor unions and the Democratic Governors Association,  is unleashing its second series of ads critical of Republican Dino Rossi's record as a state senator.

The two ads, each one 15 seconds long, mention Rossi's votes against smaller class sizes and against giving veteran teachers raises. Though, as David Postman comments, Rossi's votes on the subjects were echoed by a number of Democrats at the time, including the-Governor Gary Locke.

The campaign for Gov. Chris Gregoire held a press conference today with a number of what they called "progressive leaders" from across the state to denounce the BIAW-sponsored billboards that accuse the Seattle area of stealing the 2004 election. The billboards are meant to look just like normal Rossi signs, but are not paid for by the campaign.

The Rossi campaign hit back, too, hinting that the event showed that her re-election was more important to Gregoire than the job of governing. They also knocked the state Democratic Party for their own ads.

UPDATE: The Rossi campaign mistakenly accused Gregoire of taking time to hold a press conference when she was actually in Wenatchee. Full statement below.

Dino Rossi has launched a new segment on his website called factcheck.dinorossi.com, which bills itself with reporting "The truth behind the ads attacking Dino Rossi."

"The 2008 Washington governor's race is extremely competitive," the site says. "The incumbent governor and her political allies are attempting to distort Rossi's record on the issues in order to keep control of the governor's mansion."

The BIAW's new Change PAC television ads have now been released. According to Postman, they focus on the tribal casino deal that Gov. Gregoire authorized last year, which the Republicans are claiming was a quid pro quo.

The ad shows an elderly woman playing slot machines that land on pictures of the Democratic donkey logo and a winking Gregoire, but with no payout for the gambler. The ad says that "Christine Gregoire and tribal casinos are the only winners here."

Video of the ad is here at the Times' website.

The Gregoire campaign, much like their opponents did last week when Evergreen Progress went on the air with three television ads focusing on Dino Rossi's state senate record, are pushing back in advance of a third party television advertising buy by the BIAW's It's Time for a Change PAC. They are looking to set the tone before the ads hit the airwaves.

The Change PAC has not publicized which television advertisements it will be using, but its website, changeourgov.com, highlights videos from both the state Republican Party and MoveRed.org, the youth coalition of the King County Republican Party.

Dino Rossi's campaign has been fighting back early and often against new television ads attacking Rossi's record in the state Senate.

They put out a press release Thursday afternoon before the ad buy was even announced Friday morning, and now that the Rossi camp has seen the videos, they have more to say. Rossi today called the attacks old news and called the claims of the 527 that sponsored the ad, Evergreen Progress, false. 

State Sen. Dino Rossi: Campaign photoThe long wait is over. Washingtonians can now see just what kind of issue ads that the 527 group Evergreen Progress will be running. Today they launched a half million dollar ad buy consisting of three television ads discussing Dino Rossi's record as a state Senator.

The ads, seen here, touch on the topics of children's health care, prescription drugs and a patient's bill of rights

Third party spending has already been a major issue in the relatively young campaign for governor pitting Gov. Chris Gregoire in a re-match against Republican Dino Rossi. Now, according to a report today by the Seattle Times' David Postman, the game is about to get even more real.

A new left-leaning PAC called Evergreen Progress has been collecting money hand over fist lately from labor unions and the Democratic Governors Assocation who have combined for nearly three quarters of the $1.06 million the group has raised so far.

As for what the group plans on doing with that money, one can guess it will be a lot like what the BIAW has been doing to Gregoire.

Gov. Chris Gregoire held a press conference today with a number of law enforcement officials representing groups that have endorsed her, and she came out swinging. Gregoire called on Dino Rossi to denounce the $500,000 worth of radio ads leveled at her by the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) that are being run under the moniker Change PAC. The Gregoire campaign claims the ads are misleading.

"We have hit rock bottom in this campaign and it is only June," Gregoire said of the ad campaign. "I call on my Republican opponent Dino Rossi to denounce the BIAW and these ads and instead run a campaign focused on good policy and the issues."