Is Gov. Scott Walker’s (R-WI) campaign training its fire on only one of the Democrats in the recall election?
On Thursday, the Walker team rolled out two new ads: One attacking Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who was previously Walker’s opponent in the 2010 GOP wave election; and the other going after former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk.
But as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, an analysis by Ken Goldstein, president of ad-tracking firm Kantar Media CMAG, finds that only one of them is running: The one against Barrett, with no ad buys yet for the anti-Falk spot.
“Advertising is a tell,” said Goldstein.
Falk spokesman Scot Ross responded to the Journal Sentinel that the Walker campaign’s ads have only recently been released, and the situation could soon change as to which are on the air.
Ross added: “Kathleen Falk has been attacked by Gov. Walker’s allies nonstop for weeks because she she has built the big tent of support from organizations and the grassroots needed to defeat him.”
The Barrett campaign is touting the story as evidence that they would be the stronger candidate in the general election against Walker. The campaign posted on Twitter Friday afternoon:
Confirmed by the Journal Sentinel: Walker only running anti-Barrett ad. Proof that @GovWalker is terrified of Tom: bit.ly/IPsf9j #p2
— Tom Barrett (@Barrett4WI) April 13, 2012
Ed note: Reporter Eric Kleefeld was a volunteer in 2002 for Tom Barrett’s gubernatorial campaign in the Democratic primary that year, in which Kathleen Falk was also a candidate. He has had no additional political involvement with Barrett since that time.
