The ad below from Wasilla teacher and lieutenant governor candidate Bob Williams will begin airing statewide on KTUU Channel 2 beginning Wednesday. Williams and Alaska state Sen. Hollis French are both running for the seat in the Democratic primary. Whoever wins will join gubernatorial candidate Byron Mallott to run in the general. Williams, a first time candidate, doesn’t have the name recognition that French does, but he’s worked tirelessly to try to change that. The ad, much like the candidate, has a homegrown, compellingly earnest quality. To my knowledge, it’s the first one released by a lieutenant governor candidate.
I happened to see this ad on television, and I think it is a great ad. It says to me that the fellow is a teacher but he isn’t a liberal whack-job (as so many younger teachers are). If the fellow was running as a Republican I might vote for him. I would need to see and learn much more than one ad relates of course.
I don’t know when we may next have a Democrat as Governor. Knowles won in 1994 because two Republicans ran, Coghill and Campbell, and even at that Campbell lost by only about 500 votes. Four years later a crook took the nomination so at the last minute Robin Taylor, from Southeast, stepped in. Unless Republicans do something like that again it may be another generation before a Democrat wins.
Before Knowles, we had Sheffield who was impeached and Cowper who said he changed his mind and “all bets are off.” When someone criticizes Parnell within my earshot I think of Knowles, Sheffield and Cowper and say, “We need to be grateful for Parnell because we have sometimes done much, much worse.”
We probably won’t hear from Mr. Williams again after unless he decides to run as a Republican. For a variety of reasons Democrats are out of phase in Alaska at this time.
If I were a Democrat, I would vote for Bob Williams. I admire his tenacity.
Tough room in the Amanda Coyne comment section. 🙂 Susan, sorry you don’t care for the color scheme of the fireplace in my home. I didn’t pick a consultant because he was from out-of-state. I picked a consultant because of strong in-state recommendation, his success running a Governor campaign, and because we really got along well. Like me, he began his career as a teacher.
I’m very grateful to my teaching colleague, Brian Mead. He came over and shot and edited my commercial. He’s a great guy that makes a difference every day in the lives of students. He did a great job.
All the best,
Bob Williams
facebook.com/BobWilliamsForAlaska
WilliamsForAlaska.com
The last time I spoke with APOC, I was told in order to be safe in comment sections, I should say:
Paid for by Bob Williams for Lt Governor, 2736 W Discovery Lp Wasilla, AK 99654
Everyone seems to be getting wrapped around the axle over Bob William’s tv commercial. It just isnt necessary. Hollis French will win this race hands down.
I’m sure Mr. Williams is a nice, honest guy. I hope that he’ll stay involved in Democratic Party politics. In fact, I would be excited about a Frrench-Williams ticket as opposed to a Mallott-French ticket. But, reality is what it is.
Bob Williams will be a great Lt Governor! he cares about Alaska and its citizens AND he is HONEST!
if all you naysayers would take the time to call Bob up and speak with him, you, too will find yourself voting for him.
Unfortunately many of the comments have been merely critical reactions toward a first-time shoe-string budget commercial, and have little to do with the candidate behind it. Me thinks that those who oppose the simplicity- as much as to comment on the color scheme?- are those who also vote for flash and not substance. Too bad, because they are wrong to discredit Williams so quickly and certainly so superficially. I know Bob and he is as compelling and as earnest as Ms. Coyne suggests, if not more so. He is the type of candidate we all talk about wanting in office: honest, thoughtful, and willing to take risks for the right reasons. Just as the commercial suggests- a candidacy shouldn’t be about how much money we spend or how much money we make. The race should be about who we are. We will do well as Alaskans to have Williams on the ballot.
I know Bob personally, we disagree on politics so I won’t be voting for him. However, he is an honest, hardworking, family man and if you’re going to vote Democrat in this election you couldn’t ask for a better alternative to Mr. French. If you’re not voting Democrat and if by some catastrophe one get elected, I hope its Bob.
So, is the ad homegrown or out-of-state???
I never suggested anyone doesn’t TALK to people out of state – just that some folks are forming an opinion of a candidate based on what an ad agency produces. What this ad shows me is…..Bob.
Personally, while that doesn’t seal the deal on my vote, I take that a lot more seriously than something produced by someone that made their decision on who offered them the most money.
That’s all.
At least Williams is on the air. French isn’t.
Hey, Cliff –
For the record, your Boy Williams uses an out of state consultant, albeit not a very good one. This spot just isn’t very good. I actually believe Williams is a better candidate than the tv commercial portrays.
So, if Hollis is such a tireless campaigner, why isn’t he running for Senate?
The first couple of folks seem to want to suggest that real people can’t put up a campaign and win. If all you respond to is outside consultants, maybe you’re part of the problem.
“Hi, I’m Bob Williams and I’m as boring as unstimulating as the blank fireplace mantle I’m standing in front of.”
Seriously? Where are the pictures of his family or at the very least a picture of him with a lab? The teacher of the year award? American flag? Books? Something that brings an added dimension to him? Bueller? Even the paint color is awful! He is either standing in front of a fireplace in a rental or in a hotel. Bad choice in introducing himself to the electorate.
If this is his first salvo across the state that he is a *real* candidate, it is not a good one. This commercial makes him come across as complicated and interesting as a graham cracker. Sad. He seems nice, but I’m not interested enough after seeing this commercial to go to his website to learn more.
Compelling? Come on Amanda, are you trying to make it a race or just feel sorry for the guy?
French is working hard, has name recognition and understands the issues better than this guy. Williams seems like a nice guy but won’t be able to raise the money to get the name recognitiion to be a credible candidate. Bottom line: who cares? Mallott is such a weak gubernatorial candidate that his running mate will, like him, be little more than a foot note in the history books. Mallott seems adverse to attacking Parnell and as a result won’t win. Parnell-Sullivan wins, Walker-Pleener comes in second and Mallott- French comes in third. The governor’s race is going to be a yawner.
My guess is 60/40 Hollis.. who is an energetic campaigner, and has more appeal across the aisle (as a former prosecutor) than anyone in his own party will ever give him credit for. I wonder how energetic a French/Williams campaign would’ve been if Hollis had stayed in the running for governor? Certainly moreso than the current D candidate… and I for one (seemingly unlike the Dems) believe that Alaska Natives are sophisticated enough to get behind someone solely because of their ideas..
Ironically, I believe Hollis French also worked as a roustabout at one point.. good ad. Doesn’t hold much of a candle to the production quality on Hollis’ 2012 ads https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1UeOsmrCdw&list=UU2NPFTNvyoD5TmI-b0Rza9A (when he was in a tight race for SS), but my guess is that Hollis is going to have a much smaller TV budget this time around, if at all. Good for Bob, curious to see how the end vote turns out.