image from Monica Vernon’s debut television commercial

Today Cedar Rapids City Council member Monica Vernon launched the first television commercial of this year’s campaign in Iowa’s first Congressional district. I enclose below the video and transcript from “The Schumachers,” which features three generations of a Iowa family that owns the Cobble Hill restaurant in Cedar Rapids.

Vernon faces former Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy in the June 7 Democratic primary. Compared to the introductory spot for Vernon, Murphy’s four television commercials before the 2014 primary focused more on his own biography and political record. Those ads are still available on YouTube: “Story” (which began running the second week of April 2014), “Joint Effort” (starting in late April), “Voice” (starting in mid-May), and “Right Choice” (starting in late May).

Murphy’s budget for television commercials is likely to be more limited for this year’s race, judging by his year-end financial report. We’ll know more once Congressional candidates have disclosed their fundraising and expenditures for the first quarter of 2016. Those reports are due on April 15; Bleeding Heartland will cover them shortly thereafter.

UPDATE: Added below the Murphy campaign’s statement on this ad, which touched on his main argument against Vernon’s candidacy: she was a registered Republican until 2009.

Vernon for Congress debut tv ad, “The Schumachers”:

My annotated transcript:

Viewer sees a woman wiping down a table in a restaurant as the words “The Schumacher family” appear on screen. Monica Vernon’s voice: You won’t find any special interests here, looking for perks or special tax breaks. [viewer sees footage of a man working in a professional kitchen; words on screen Cobble Hill Restaurant Cedar Rapids, IA]

All they’re looking for is a fair shot. [View shifts to Vernon, now speaking to the camera as Mr. Schumacher works in the background]

Vernon continues speaking to the camera: I’m Monica Vernon. And it’s why I’m running for Congress. [words MONICA VERNON appear on screen]

Vernon’s voice: Let’s invest in education for our kids, not more subsides for oil companies. [footage of Schumacher kids getting ready for school, with parents in background; then kids walking away from the house, parents waving goodbye; words on screen MONICA VERNON invest in education]

And protect Social Security and Medicare, not tax loopholes for Wall Street. [footage of Vernon sitting at the kitchen table with one of the Schumacher grandmothers; prescription pill bottles and documents (apparently from Medicare or Social Security) are visible, along with coffee mugs. Words on screen: MONICA VERNON protect Social Security]

I’m Monica Vernon, and I approve this message because it’s time we look out for the middle class. [footage of Vernon standing outside the Schumacher home, talking with the whole family; words on screen MONICA VERNON DEMOCRAT FOR CONGRESS FOR IOWA]

UPDATE: Pat Murphy’s campaign released the following statement on April 12.

While Monica Vernon relies on generic Democratic talking points to make voters forget her Republican past, Pat Murphy has a strong record of fighting for the working class.

Monica Vernon says she wants to protect Social Security and Medicare, but she supported George W. Bush through his efforts to privatize Social Security and turn Medicare into a voucher program. Pat Murphy voted to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits for Iowa’s seniors, and is the only candidate calling to eliminate the Social Security tax cap to make Social Security solvent for future generations.

Monica Vernon says she wants to fund education, but she has supported Republican candidates who have cut funding to education at the state level. As Speaker of the House, Pat fought to create universal pre-school, raise teacher pay and invest in school infrastructure.