TV ads for Arizona gubernatorial candidates Garcia, Farley hit screens
Aug 1, 2018, 10:35 AM | Updated: 4:15 pm
PHOENIX — Two of the three Democratic candidates for the Arizona governorship released their first TV ads this week, with front-runner David Garcia taking a no-nonsense approach and state Sen. Steve Farley using a lighter touch.
Garcia had a big lead over Farley, 33.3 percent to 10.7 percent, in a Data Orbital poll taken in July.
The Arizona State University professor has built his campaign on education issues. The 50-year-old Mesa native teaches the subject and ran for state superintendent of public schools in 2014, losing in the general election to Diane Douglas.
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Garcia’s ad was also posted Tuesday on YouTube. The ads were scheduled to run through Aug. 6 in Phoenix and Tucson. Airtime cost $124,600.
“Driving across Arizona it’s clear: Our schools are in crisis,” Garcia said as the 31-second ad opened.
“I’m running for governor with a mission; invest in our schools, stamp out corruption in state government and build an economy that works for all of Arizona.”
The Arizona Republican Party filed a complaint against Garcia on Wednesday for allegedly violating state law by failing to identify as an “authorizing candidate” in his television ad.
“Arizona law clearly outlines the disclosures required for political advertising,” AZGOP spokeswoman Ayshia Connors said in a statement.
“David Garcia’s failure to comply with these requirements raises serious questions about his campaign’s carelessness in following the law. These ads should be pulled from the air immediately.”
Farley’s 43-second pitch poked fun at some of his nerdish tendencies but also pointed to the 55-year-old’s interest in lowering health care costs and improving education funding while also lowering taxes.
His campaign spent $331,000 on the ads. It was posted to Youtube on Sunday. The ads will run until Aug. 13 in Phoenix and Tucson.
Farley, from Tucson, served in the state House of Representatives from 2007 to 2013.
The two men and Kelly Fryer, CEO of the YWCA of Southern Arizona, have debated three times — once in April in Tucson and twice in the Valley, including Tuesday night in Phoenix.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
