Mike Fitzgerald is both the longest-serving state treasurer in the country and a Democratic survivor of two Republican wave elections (1994 and 2010). Probably for those reasons, he doesn’t appear concerned at all about winning a ninth term in office. As of this summer, Fitzgerald had not raised or spent much money for his re-election campaign. He’s given few stump speeches around the state, other than his appearance at the Des Moines Register’s Iowa State Fair soapbox. I have not seen so much as a campaign website or Facebook page, let alone any commercials for is candidacy. That’s no surprise, since Fitzgerald doesn’t have a large war chest and didn’t start advertising for his last re-election bid until late October 2010.

No Republican stepped up to run against Fitzgerald this spring, but in June, Governor Terry Branstad recruited unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate Sam Clovis to run for treasurer in an obvious attempt to boost enthusiasm among social conservatives. GOP primary turnout was surprisingly low despite several hard-fought races around the state. (Incidentally, fellow Senate candidate Matt Whitaker agreed to chair Clovis’ treasurer campaign. Whitaker was the GOP nominee for state treasurer in 2002.)

Branstad promised to help Clovis with fundraising, which had been a major problem for him throughout the Senate primary campaign. The July financial report didn’t show big money coming in to Clovis’ state treasurer campaign yet, but a press release from the Clovis campaign this week leads by crediting Branstad with helping secure the resources for two television commercials. The first spot has supposedly been running on eastern Iowa tv stations for about a month, as well as in Des Moines (though I haven’t seen it yet). The second spot is reportedly going on the air this week. I’ve posted both videos after the jump, with my transcripts.

Clovis has virtually no chance to win this election. Public Policy Polling’s Iowa survey in August showed him trailing Fitzgerald by 47 percent to 33 percent, with 5 percent supporting Libertarian nominee Keith Laube. The latest PPP survey in Iowa from this past weekend shows little change: Fitzgerald still has 47 percent support to 35 percent for Clovis and 5 percent for Laube, with the rest of respondents undecided.

While Clovis’ own race may be hopeless, an advertising push for him could help other Republicans on the ballot by mobilizing social conservative voters. Clovis was a highly visible figure during the 2010 campaign against retaining Iowa Supreme Court justices, and his second-place showing in the U.S. Senate primary was impressive, given his campaign’s meager resources. The ads for his state treasurer campaign are low-budget but feature the candidate and his party affiliation prominently, which is the point.

P.S. – In 2010 as well as this year, Iowa Republicans have accused Fitzgerald of campaigning on the state’s dime because his image appears on State Treasurer’s Office materials promoting programs such as the “Great Iowa Treasure Hunt” or 529 college savings plan. Give me a break. One natural advantage of incumbency is that publicity surrounding official actions raises your visibility and name recognition. If that’s using state funds to campaign, so are most public appearances by Iowa’s governors and lieutenant governors and any number of official documents bearing their images.

First Sam Clovis for Iowa State Treasurer commercial:

My transcript:

Clovis’ voice: As parents, we work hard to make sure our children have better opportunities than we had. [footage of cute little girl playing with a dog]

I’ve worked towards that goal my whole life  [viewer sees Clovis with that girl and her sister, petting the dog in a park; Sam Clovis Republican for Treasurer logo appears near bottom of screen]

in public service as a teacher, a veteran, and an economist. [campaign logo appears on screen; photo of Clovis in a university classroom, then photo of a military plane he flew in the Air Force; then photo of him giving a lecture on public policy]

Clovis speaks directly to camera: But for all of these roles, I’m most proud to be called “Grandpa.” Let’s invest in the middle class and our children for a better, greater Iowa. [Clovis has his arms around his granddaughters, one of whom is holding the dog; a playground at a park is in the background]

Clovis’ voice: I’m Sam Clovis, and I approve this message. [campaign logo fills screen]

Second Clovis for Treasurer commercial:

My transcript:

Unidentified young woman speaks to camera: I’m a college student majoring in criminal justice. I want to find a job in law enforcement. College is expensive, and I want to find a job in Iowa, so I can make the costs worthwhile. [Clovis for treasurer logo appears near bottom of screen]

Unidentified young man speaks to camera: I want to go to law school. We need to expand our economy to keep meaningful jobs and opportunities in Iowa.  [Clovis for treasurer logo remains near bottom of screen]

Second unidentified young woman speaks to camera: I’m a mother of three. I’m worried that kicking the can down the road will leave my children with debt instead of opportunities.  [Clovis for treasurer logo remains near bottom of screen; words describing Clovis appear near bottom of screen too: “Grandfather” then “teacher”]

Clovis speaks to camera, with five young adults standing alongside him: We can fix the 6 billion dollar shortfall in our public pension programs and expand tax credits for our college savings programs. Let’s work together for a better, greater Iowa. [Words “Veteran” and “Economist” appear below Clovis as he speaks; the young people join him in saying “Let’s work together”]

I don’t know what the state treasurer has to do with job creation, but I guess the campaign strategists think that’s the message to appeal to the Republican base. Focusing on Clovis’ ideas to shore up the state pension fund would be more logical but would not make for a very camera-friendly campaign ad.

In a strange editing choice, the words “grandfather” and “teacher” (which are meant to describe Clovis) appear below the “mother of three” while she is talking. It’s a little confusing and distracting for the viewer.