On the 2016 trail, saying you’re an outsider is one thing — acting like one is another.
That’s the message John Kasich’s super PAC is betting on in a new 30-second ad debuting on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper.” New Day for America trumpets its candidate’s outside agenda and persona, but also touts his ability — and proven record — of being able to shake up the system.
The ad, set to air in New Hampshire and titled “Reformer,” recycles the Ohio governor’s recent appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” and simulates a direct-to-camera pitch typical of ads commissioned directly by campaigns.
“People want change,” Kasich says in the ad. “They want reform. They want to see something done.”
The ad opens by flipping through pictures of contenders the Kasich backers believe cannot follow through on the promises made in their stump speeches: Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina and, most notably, Sen. Marco Rubio.
“Just carping about it and whining about it and making speeches about it doesn’t get it done,” Kasich says in the ad.
“I’ve always been unorthodox in this and against the grain,” Kasich continues. “But you know what, I know how to get it done.”
Differentiating Kasich from the four candidates he highlighted — Rubio, in particular, — signals the start of phase two for the super PAC’s push in New Hampshire.
Trump, Carson and Fiorina have relegated the crowded establishment pack to the back burners of the political hot stove. But now the group backing Kasich, who spent nearly two decades in Washington, is trying to break through by pitching their candidate as the change agent outsiders want, with the record to back the rhetoric.
With Kasich’s numbers in the Granite State sagging according to the state polls, New Day for America is plunking down more cash there, doubling the size of its ad buy on New Hampshire TV.
In October alone, the outside group will spend $1.5 million to plaster Kasich’s face on televisions in the critical first-in-the-nation primary state. The new infusion runs the super PAC’s overall investment in the New Hampshire market to $6.5 million, dating back to July.
According to a memo from the super PAC’s leadership, obtained by CNN, the buy is part of a larger strategy that hinges raising Kasich’s profile and on winning the race within the race.
A September CNN/ORC poll found 51% of voters nationwide are unsure what they think of Kasich.
Written by executive director Matt Carle and chief strategist Matt David, the three-page document outlines a game plan that revolves around contrasting Kasich’s fire with Bush’s failed attempt to derail Trump, and the Ohio governor’s record with the comparatively thin list of Rubio’s accomplishments.
“Most of the candidates running are just speechmakers,” Connie Wehrkamp, a spokesman for New Day for America told CNN, “and we highlighted some of them in this ad.”
Rubio has been criticized in recent days by other Republicans for his voting record. The Florida senator has insisted votes on some issues matter less than others and that his absences from the Senate are excusable because he’s running for president.
For weeks, Republican insiders have said that Kasich also posed a direct threat to Bush, as the one-time front-runner continues to struggle to raise his standing in the polls and escape Trump’s shadow.
Last week, researchers for groups aligned behind Bush were spotted scouring for “oppo” in documents at a public library in Ohio. Kasich pounced, and said the hunt for damning information was evidence the Bush campaign was “getting nervous.”
But now Kasich’s super PAC seems to be following in the footsteps of their Bush rivals. In the memo, the group’s runners reveal they have now acquired a “500-page opposition research book” on the former Florida governor.
The super PAC ad released by Kasich backers, notably, does not show Bush.