Schellinger first governor candidate to air TV commercials

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Gubernatorial candidate Jim Schellinger greets Peter Agostino, left, and Felipe Merino at Corporate Wings Wednesday, December 12, in South Bend. (Tribune Photo/MARCUS MARTER)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Mar 19, 2008 at 1:52 PM EST

Story Updated: Mar 19, 2008 at 2:20 PM EST

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Democrat Jim Schellinger has become the first 2008 gubernatorial hopeful to air television commercials.

The ads are running in Indianapolis, South Bend and Fort Wayne, and will air statewide in a few weeks, the Schellinger campaign said.

"It's important to be up first because we need to make sure voters know who our candidate is," said Robert Kellar, a spokesman for the Schellinger campaign. "Often, people will be open to your ideas and policies, but they need to know who you are first."

The ads feature family photos and sports memorabilia and are a basic introduction of Schellinger, who grew up in South Bend as the sixth of eight children in a working-class home. The ads later show Schellinger walking a factory floor with a worker and ends with the tagline "leadership that's like us."

Fellow Democrat Jill Long Thompson hasn't started running ads because early polling shows her ahead of Schellinger in name recognition, said spokesman Jeff Harris.

"Hoosiers are just beginning to pay attention," he said. "We're comfortable with our ability to wait and feel once we go up on television, we'll be able to sustain our lead."

Long Thompson said Wednesday she would start running statewide TV ads soon.

When asked what she thought about Schellinger's spots, she said she had a policy of not commenting on her opponents' commercials.

But she followed that by saying with a laugh, "I am reminded of the 'Seinfeld' episode. It's all about nothing. It's a show about nothing."

She made the remarks during a news conference to announce some of her government reform proposals.

Campaign finance reports show Schellinger with $1.8 million on hand, compared with $436,000 for Long Thompson.

Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, on the other hand, has $6.7 million.

"We'll start at the appropriate time now that the legislative session is over," said Cam Savage, spokesman for the Daniels campaign.

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