The super PAC supporting Bobby Jindal has purchased television advertising on CNN to run in Iowa Wednesday during the prime time televised debate.
The Louisiana governor and Republican White House hopeful did not qualify for the main event, and was relegated to the undercard debate that will broadcast at 6 p.m., ahead of the 8 p.m. main event featuring 11 of the 15 major candidates. But Jindal’s super PAC, Believe Again, hopes to bolster the governor’s exposure to GOP voters in Iowa, host of the first nominating contest of the 2016 contest, with a positive, 30 second spot. Believe Again shared the ad with the Washington Examiner late Tuesday.
The spot consists of footage of Jindal talking to prospective caucus-goers during a packed town hall meeting in Iowa. “The idea of America is slipping away right in front of us,” Jindal says as the ad opens. “If you’re looking for someone who’s going to manage the slow decline of this once great country, go vote for somebody else.”
The spot will run as part of Believe Again’s existing $250,000 advertising buy that has purchased time in all Iowa media markets on cable television and Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Sioux City on broadcast. In addition to running advertising that supports Jindal, the super PAC has been hosting many of his town hall meeting campaign events in Iowa, the state where Jindal has put all of his 2016 marbles.
“We know Gov. Jindal is better at question and answer sessions than any candidate in the race and so we have made town halls in towns large and small in Iowa a key part of Believe Again’s strategy,” said Brad Todd, chief strategist for the group. The caucuses are set for Feb. 1, and Believe Again has already scheduled more than 30 town hall meetings, featuring Jindal, to occur between Oct.1 and Jan. 30.
Jindal has been mired at the bottom of the polls nationally, but has made some headway with Republicans in Iowa. Jindal ranks eleventh in the Examiner’s GOP presidential power rankings. His new apparent strategy — at least geared toward national media — revolves around challenging Republican front-runner Donald Trump.
Jindal has mercilessly attacked the New York businessman and reality television start as a vapid narcissist who stands for nothing but self-promotion and would run the conservative movement into the ground. It’s not clear yet if the approach is paying dividends, but Jindal advisors said recently that the governor was invested in the strategy and planned to keep it up.
Disclosure: The author’s wife works as an advisor to Scott Walker.
