Post-Labor Day marks the start of general election season, and the ads are starting to flow. Amidst a flurry of activity this past week, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton each released a new commercial going after their opponent’s perceived weakness.
The Clinton ad, titled “Agree,” highlights Trump’s poor favorability with members of his own party, featuring prominent Republicans like Senators Ben Sasse and Susan Collins, along with former Governor Mitt Romney, speaking out about their problems with the GOP nominee:
Released Saturday, the commercial concludes that Donald Trump is “Unfit. Dangerous. Even for Republicans.” It’s a tactic that lines up with Clinton’s alleged pursuit of Republican donors who have not been supportive of Trump and clever in the use of a GOP darling like Ben Sasse and others. And clearly, the ad got under the mogul’s skin, as he quickly took to Twitter:
Really sad that Republicans would allow themselves to be used in a Clinton ad. Lindsey Graham, Romney, Flake, Sass. SUPREME COURT, REMEMBER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2016
For their part, Trump and his campaign stuck to their weekend theme and released a commercial hitting Clinton for her “basket of deplorables” comment Friday night:
The ad’s visual high point — and most powerful message — is its focus on how the delegates to the Republican National Convention, far from being exclusive to party elites, were comprised of many voters’ friends, colleagues, and long-time acquaintances. It’s a message bound to reinforce the belief among many Americans that Clinton truly does not have their best interests at heart.
But which message will ultimately prove to be the winning one? We will soon find out.
Kevin Dawson is the Operations Manager at American Principles Project.
