October 30, 2014 02:44 PM UTC

Did Democrats or Republicans Guess Wrong on Spanish-Language TV?

• 18 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

Somebody guessed wrong on Spanish-language television buys in Colorado. Was it Democrats…or Republicans?

We haven't seen the hard numbers on this yet, but as it has been explained to us, 2014 has seen considerably more money spent on Spanish-language media buys than any other mid-term election (anecdotally, of course, it makes perfect sense). In fact, spending on Spanish-language media is at a level comparable to the 2012 Presidential election. That spending has not been equal among Democrats and Republicans, however, and on Tuesday evening we will have a pretty good idea of which Party made the wrong decision. Democrats have spent much more money on Spanish-language television than Republicans; media buys for Democratic Sen. Mark Udall alone have dominated the airwaves on Univision in Colorado.

Republican Senate candidate Cory Gardner launched his first Spanish-language TV ad in Colorado today, the same day in which the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) was promoting another new Spanish-language ad in a media campaign that has been underway for months (check out the SEIU press release from Oct. 7 after the jump). The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has run a Spanish-language TV ad with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush endorsing Gardner, but the Gardner campaign itself had not ventured into the medium until today. Coincidentally, NBC News reports on the attraction for politicos of Spanish-language media around the country:

That means in places like Colorado, there are many more Spanish-language ads than in previous elections, the sort of “wall-to-wall coverage” that non-Latino white voters have long been accustomed to seeing in elections, Chambers said. On top of that, Hispanic advocacy and other groups are doing field work, knocking on doors to register and turn out Latino voters and making sure those who can get their ballots mailed in…

…An ad titled “Tu Poder” running in Colorado – paid for by People for the American Way and NexGen Climate and done by Chambers – hits several themes at once to reach Latinos. It shows a mailbox to explain the new Colorado voting law in which every registered voter gets a mail-in ballot that has to be mailed back by Oct. 31 and it also touches on issues of the environment and health.

The ad for Colorado’s Democratic Sen. Mark Udall opens with several official ballot packets landing on a table and a narrator saying “Este es tu poder. (This is your power.)" That line is repeated later and followed by “úselo (use it.)”

The ad is part of a multiyear effort People for the American Way (PFAW) designed to reach Latino voters. Randy Borntrager, political director of the liberal group, said in 2014 Latinos “could be kingmaker” in several of the close 10 Senate races.

What's so fascinating about this disparity with Spanish-language media buys is that it offers a unique opportunity to examine different strategies in play. Just like any other big-money industry, politics is a copycat business. Everybody does TV and mail. Everybody does online advertising. Everybody has some sort of field campaign. But in this particular case, only one Party can be correct about their decision on how to allocate money for Spanish-language media (and TV specifically).

The relative importance of Spanish-language media to each Party is pretty clear in 2014, but by 2016 lessons will have been learned and cats copied.

If the Latino vote in Colorado does prove to be the final arbiter in many of these races, we can guess which side will be doing the copying in two years.

SEIU Launches New Ad Featuring Colorado Latinos Rejecting Cory Gardner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Published 1:07 PM Eastern – Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Beau Boughamer, beau.boughamer@seiu.org; Beatriz Lopez, beatriz.lopez@seiu.org, 202-412-7396

Ad Underscores Gardner's Harmful Record on Wages as SEIU Continues Efforts to Mobilize Colorado Latino Voters

WATCH AD HERE: http://seiu.me/trabajamos

WASHINGTON, DC – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) continued to unfold its million-dollar Spanish-language paid media campaign against U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner (Colo.-4) Tuesday with a new television ad featuring local Latino constituents weighing in against the Republican candidate running for U.S. Senate.

The fourth Spanish-language ad in the series, "Trabajamos" ("We Work" in English), features Colorado Latinos speaking out against Gardner's opposition to Colorado's efforts to raise the minimum wage.

"Republican Cory Gardner fought against raising the minimum wage here in Colorado," the ad says.

Tomas Perez, a Colorado voter, responds in the ad, "And I don't think that's fair and just, because I'm here to work with dignity."

The new ad follows three recent SEIU ads, which focused on Gardner's failed record on immigration (Ad1: http://bit.ly/Zaf8Oy) (Ad2: http://bit.ly/1tsTc9y) (Ad3: http://bit.ly/ZPpl4k), and follows an ad by the National Education Association (NEA) that highlighted Gardner's harmful education record (http://bit.ly/1yId5BU).

"Colorado Latinos can't ignore what the future would hold with Mr. Gardner whose voting record shows callous disregard for working Latino families," said SEIU Executive Vice President Rocio Sáenz. "The constituents you hear and see in this ad are just a small sample of a larger dissatisfaction that is quite clear among Latino voters in Colorado."

"The distinction between Sen. Mark Udall and Congressman Gardner is clear. While the senator understands that Latino and immigrant families are fighting for better wages, education, and immigration reform, Gardner has actively ignored or blocked these key issues," Sáenz said, adding. "It's unforgivable and unforgettable."

WATCH AD HERE: http://seiu.me/trabajamos

Script:

(ENGLISH)

Juanita: I am a person who works… and I need to have two jobs…

Voiceover: But Republican Cory Gardner fought against raising the minimum wage here in Colorado.

Tomas: And I don't think that's fair and just, because I'm here to work with dignity.

Luisa: It's indignant because he doesn't think about the community, about the people. He only thinks like a Republican.

Voiceover: In November, we're voting against Cory Gardner.

SEIU COPE is responsible for the content of this message.

(SPANISH)

Juanita: Yo soy una persona que trabajo…Y tengo que tener dos trabajos.

Voiceover: Pero el Republicano Cory Gardner luchó en contra del aumento al salario minimo aquí en Colorado

Tomas: Y yo creo que no es justo por que you vengo a trabajar dignamente.

Luisa: Es indignante porque el no piensa en la comunidad, en la gente. El solamente piensa como republicano.

Voiceover: ¡En Noviembre votaremos contra Cory Gardner!

SEIU COPE es responsable por el contenido de este mensaje.