Emmer releases first tv ad

Republican governor candidate Tom Emmer released his first campaign television ad over the weekend, using his children as the mouthpiece for his message on creating jobs and reforming state government.

The 30-second ad, titled “Work,” features Emmer’s seven children and his wife, Jacquie, sitting on a porch talking about how he wants to reform government, cut taxes and create jobs. Emmer’s family was also featured in his video played at the state GOP endorsing convention.

According to the Star Tribune, Emmer’s campaign will spend $300,000  to air the ad statewide starting Monday through early September. The ad was created by Washington, D.C.-based DMM Media.

Independence Party candidate Tom Horner also released his first television ad over the weekend. DFLer Mark Dayton is the only candidate yet to release a post-primary television ad, primarily because he spent several million dollars on a half dozen advertisements before the election.

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota, a labor-backed group, criticized Emmer’s new ad and his job creation record at the Legislature. In a statement released Sunday, the group said Emmer has opposed job-boosting federal stimulus dollars and voted against a DFL-written “jobs bill” that provided angel investor tax credits for high tech start-up companies.