'Ads In August Don't Decide Votes In November' Jealous Says
ANNAPOLIS (WJZ) — Political campaigns are shifting into high gear as they head into Labor Day weekend, with the race for Maryland governor the main attention-grabber.
It's a dollar to Democrats race for governor right now with Rep. Gov. Larry Hogan's campaign $9 million above Democrat Ben Jealous' campaign fundraising. Jealous is counting on turn-out to bring a record number of Democrats to the polls.
"We will run a positive ground campaign because we win by turning out the vote," Jealous said in a tweet.
Jealous said his campaign spent almost every dollar it had on the crowded primary campaign. While Hogan continues to dominate the airwaves with TV ads including a $1 million negative campaign by the Republican Governors Association.
Dr. Richard Vatz of Towson University sees Jealous having a lot of catching up to do.
"He's got a big problem in that he doesn't have much money and Gov. Hogan has a lot of money. Now money isn't always this positive- isn't always the case that more money wins," Vatz said. "But you've got to be able to advertise, you've got to be able to get known and you've got to be able to get known and you've got to be able to say why people should vote for you as opposed to the incumbents,"
"We are in a place we haven't seen in a long time, we had to come from a crowded primary to go up against an incumbent. What that means is we had to spend every dollar we had to get through that primary," Jealous said in a tweet. "We're raising money all summer. What we know is ads in August don't decide votes in November,"
Hogan has benefitted from ad campaigns sponsored by the Republican Governors Association and is now running a new one of his own. Jealous told WJZ last week there'll be airplay from the Jealous camp.
"Our ads will be up. But what I would also say is no one should ever expect us to go tit for tat with his governor's campaign," Jealous said in a tweet.
The Maryland Democratic Party said it has the resources, organization and message to drive record turnout in November.
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