# Worst campaign ads, 2018 edition
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [May 7, 2018, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754 "2018-05-07T14:36:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2018, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/1 "2018-05-07T14:36:18Z")
This one is going to be tough to beat… but I just _believe_ that the ingenuity and incompetence of American politicians can give it a run for its money!
Ok, let's start with the copy.
> [@](#):
>
> Swamp captain Mitch McConnell has created millions of jobs for China people, while doing so, Mitch has gotten rich. In fact, his China family has given him tens of millions of dollars. Mitch’s swamp people are now running false negative ads about me. They are also childishly calling me despicable and mentally ill. The war to drain the swamp and create jobs for West Virginia people has begun. I will beat Joe Manchin and ditch cocaine Mitch for he sake of the kids.
Wow. Strong stuff. China people? China family? Cocaine Mitch? Ding-dong Ching-chong? Me so solly? Oh wait, he didn’t actually say that last one. Or the one before. Hard to tell where fact ends and fiction begins.
But here’s what really impresses me: that West Virginia Senate candidate Don Blankenship can even SPEAK after taking six Ambien right before the filming started. To call his performance wooden would be an insult to the siding on that green house.
---
### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2018, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/2 "2018-05-07T15:01:50Z")
> [@Ravenman](#):
>
> This one is going to be tough to beat… but I just _believe_ that the ingenuity and incompetence of American politicians can give it a run for its money!
>
> Ok, let's start with the copy. Wow. Strong stuff. China people? China family? Cocaine Mitch? Ding-dong Ching-chong? Me so solly? Oh wait, he didn't actually say that last one. Or the one before. Hard to tell where fact ends and fiction begins.
>
> But here’s what really impresses me: that West Virginia Senate candidate Don Blankenship can even SPEAK after taking six Ambien right before the filming started. To call his performance wooden would be an insult to the siding on that green house.
When I saw this the other day, his mumbling delivery struck me even more than the content of his words. I guess the Ambien explains that.
---
### Author:  [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2018, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/3 "2018-05-07T19:50:59Z")
As a free bit of advice to the Blankenship campaign. Don’t repeat your opponents talking points against you unless you are directly addressing them in detail. Prior to this ad, I wouldn’t have known that people thought that he was mentally ill. After watching it I see why they would come to that conclusion.
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### Author:  [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/4 "2018-05-07T20:32:35Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#):
>
> As a free bit of advice to the Blankenship campaign. Don’t repeat your opponents talking points against you unless you are directly addressing them in detail. Prior to this ad, I wouldn’t have known that people thought that he was mentally ill. After watching it I see why they would come to that conclusion.
No kidding. After I saw the ad, my first thought was, “Oh yeah. He is mentally incapacitated.”
My second was, “Maybe I should change my user name to Swamp Captain.”
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### Author:  [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/5 "2018-05-07T23:41:09Z")
I thought Jed Clampett was dead. This guy makes Jethro Bodine look like Einstein.
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### Author:  [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2018, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/6 "2018-05-08T14:14:02Z")
W…T…F???
That ad reminds me of my own state’s primary debate for governor a couple years ago:
Sadly, Harley did not win.
Republican nutjobbery exists in every state.
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### Author:  [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2018, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/7 "2018-05-08T14:30:31Z")
You might be mildly amused by this example from our recent local elections (we don’t have paid ads, simply a rationed number of slots on all the main stations for party election broadcasts, which are usually just dull rather than truly awful):
[https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story\_large/public/thumbnails/image/2018/05/02/18/ilford-tories-1.jpg](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2018/05/02/18/ilford-tories-1.jpg)
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### Author:  [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/8 "2018-05-08T15:13:55Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#):
>
> You might be mildly amused by this example from our recent local elections (we don’t have paid ads, simply a rationed number of slots on all the main stations for party election broadcasts, which are usually just dull rather than truly awful):
> [https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story\_large/public/thumbnails/image/2018/05/02/18/ilford-tories-1.jpg](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2018/05/02/18/ilford-tories-1.jpg)
I thought it was going to be Greg Knight’s scintillating performance, but of course that was last year.
[Ultimate Charisma Challenge - man vs door](https://youtu.be/rl6NnfiYrwQ)
Best bit is the “kick ass” theme song at the end, and the exhortation to vote for Greg, and his running mate Back Theresa.
---
### Author:  [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/9 "2018-05-08T17:11:01Z")
> [@RobDog](#):
>
> I thought it was going to be Greg Knight’s scintillating performance, but of course that was last year.
There is no man who walks through the door like Greg Knight. The only way he could improve is if he were swinging his arms WITH his legs (left foot forward/left arm forward; right foot forward/right arm forward).
> [@Bijou Drains](#):
>
> This guy makes Jethro Bodine look like Einstein.
You mean Albert Einstein, the Jew person?
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2018, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/10 "2018-05-11T00:38:10Z")
Brian Kemp, the Georgia Republican candidate for governor, who pointed a shotgun at a young man in a previous ad, is at it again:
> [@](#):
>
> “I’m so conservative, I blow up government spending. I own guns that no one’s taking away. My chainsaw is ready to rip up some regulations. I got a big truck, just in case I need to round up criminal illegals and take ‘em home myself. Yep, I just said that. I’m Brian Kemp. If you want a politically incorrect conservative, that’s me.”
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q1cfjh6VfE)
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2018, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/11 "2018-05-11T01:24:24Z")
Reminds me of this:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_Ip8gspFaH8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ip8gspFaH8)
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### Author:  [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2018, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/12 "2018-05-11T03:01:34Z")
Mitch McConnell is a highly effective and extremely competent senate leader.
If Trumpists bring him down and he gets replaced by someone far more dysfunctional and incompetent as senate leader, I say bring it on.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2018, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/13 "2018-05-11T03:28:21Z")
Majority Leader Joe, anyone? 😃
(I wanted to say Speaker Joe; it has a much better ring to it, but probably no joy there…)
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2018, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/14 "2018-05-11T13:28:07Z")
Catherine Templeton, Republican candidate for governor in South Carolina, shoots a snake.
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_PsxhRZG_Q)
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### Author:  [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2018, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/15 "2018-05-11T14:53:04Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> Catherine Templeton, Republican candidate for governor in South Carolina, shoots a snake.
>
> [https://youtu.be/Q\_PsxhRZG\_Q](https://youtu.be/Q_PsxhRZG_Q)
Good god! What a fucking stupid ad.
Anyone notice the trend in these worst campaign ads?
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/16 "2018-05-11T15:20:01Z")
> [@wguy123](#):
>
> Good god! What a fucking stupid ad.
>
> Anyone notice the trend in these worst campaign ads?
They know their audience?
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### Author:  [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2018, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/17 "2018-05-15T18:51:57Z")
This has to be one of the least effective campaign mailings I’ve ever received.
Yesterday I got something from Omar Navarro, who is running for the Republican slot to challenge House Representative Maxine Waters in CA-43.
1. I don’t live in CA-43. I’m in CA-33 (Ted Lieu’s district) about 2 miles from the boundary. You’d think the first rule of campaign spending is make sure the voters you target can actually vote for you.
2. I’m registered Non-partisan, so this wasn’t targeted by party, but seems more of a blanket mailer.
3. In a district that is 46% Latino, and went for both Obama and Clinton by over 78%, he proudly touts that he’s endorsed by Joe Arpaio. Exactly who is he trying to reach in this district? And is he going to find them?
Granted, in a D+29 district, a R is pretty much pissing into the wind. But it’s comical to see a candidate spend money in the least effective way possible.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/18 "2018-05-15T18:58:46Z")
Ted Lieu’s my rep too. And considering that the 33rd mostly hugs the coastline, it’s hard to swing a dead cat and not hit someone who lives within two miles of the boundary lines. Maybe Navarro should move to Rohrabacher’s district, the 48th. He might have a chance there.
Waters is a local(ish) fixture. She’s not going anywhere unless she wants to.
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### Author:  [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/19 "2018-05-15T19:51:21Z")
China people is not the preferred nomenclature.
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYOzUHnPJvU)
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### Author:  [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-campaign-ads-2018-edition/813754/20 "2018-05-15T19:52:49Z")
Eleni Kounalakis is running for Lieutenant Governor of California. Her entire campaign seems based around supporting immigrants against Trump. She doesn’t mention that her father is a multibillionaire. The thing is, I’m voting for her, because the other Democratic candidate is uninspiring. Both of them are former Ambassadors under Obama.
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