It's gonna be a long campaign

Get ready to start seeing Bill White for Mayor ads on the teevee and radio, as the first announced candidate tries to raise his name recognition:

The Houston lawyer and businessman has purchased enough television commercial time for each Houstonian to see him nine times over a three-week period, based on predicted viewing patterns.

His well-financed campaign also will run advertisements on English- and Spanish-language radio stations.

[...]

"Polls I have seen show Bill White has negligible name identification," said Rice University political scientist and pollster Bob Stein. "He needs to overcome that.

"The question is, will this stick?" Stein said, noting that voters might not be paying attention so early in a mayor's race.

It probably can't hurt. White is not starting out with an obvious base of support, so he's going to need to demonstrate viability in order to get money and endorsements.

In the first commercial, called "Traffic," three White supporters talk about their belief that White can solve local traffic problems.

The ad includes a Hispanic man, radio executive Tom Castro; a black woman, small-business owner Gail Brown; and a white man, lawyer Daryl Bristow. All three say that White can "get this city moving."

Seems like a savvy move, both in addressing an issue that everyone cares about and in showing a Rainbow Coalition of support. He's going to have to cannibalize the Sanchez and Turner bases if he wants to make it to a runoff.

I'll report my impressions when I come across one of his ads.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on February 16, 2003 to Election 2003 | TrackBack