Dems ramp up TV ad spending in primary race for AG race

The television campaign in Rhode Island’s four-way Democratic attorney general primary is growing as a second candidate debuted ads Wednesday, while another reserved airtime the same week early voting begins next month.

Six days after Keith Hoffmann became the first candidate to take to the airwaves, Kim Ahern on Wednesday unveiled her first television commercial as part of a six-figure advertising campaign through the Sept. 9 primary.

“We’re confident our message will reach voters across Rhode Island and communicate Kim’s unparalleled experience and compelling vision for an AG’s office that keeps people safe and protects our fundamental rights,” Sam Bader, manager for Ahern’s campaign, said in an email to Rhode Island Current. 

Ahern’s 30-second spot begins with a retired police lieutenant recalling his work with her as a state prosecutor on cases involving survivors of child sexual abuse.

“Kim Ahern will do everything in her power to advocate for the victim and to put the bad guy away,” the officer said. “She’s been in the trenches.”

Ahern, who most recently chaired the state’s Cannabis Control Commission, served nine years as a special assistant AG under three attorneys general: Peter Neronha, Peter Kilmartin, and Patrick Lynch. Her campaign notes she prosecuted more than 1,000 cases as a member of the office’s Special Victims Unit.

The ad then pivots to scenes of Ahern at her desk and with her family as she highlights her policy priorities of protecting abortion rights, keeping families safe from gun violence, prosecuting hate crimes, and holding the federal government accountable.

“When Donald Trump or anyone else threatens the rights of Rhode Islanders, it’s the attorney general’s job to stand in their way,” Ahern says in a voiceover.

Ahern’s message is scheduled to air on all three major local networks — WPRI-TV, WJAR-TV and Coastal ABC — along with Fox affiliate WNAC and the CW, according to filings made with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

So far the campaign has spent $38,270 for the first week of ads.

Ahern’s name will appear last on the list of four Democrats appearing on the Sept. 9 ballot, after Rep. Jason Knight, Rep. Joe Solomon, and Hoffmann.

Final spending on advertising, along with other campaign advertisements, will be reflected in second-quarter campaign finance reports which are due to the Rhode Island Board of Elections by Friday, July 31.

Hoffmann’s campaign had the most recent cash advantage over his Democratic competitors, which he’s using as part of a $1 million media campaign. FCC filings show his campaign has spent over $219,000 on broadcast TV ads.

Knight, who reported the smallest campaign war chest among the four Democratic candidates, is set to begin advertising during the week of Aug. 18. Early voting begins Aug. 20. FCC filings show the former prosecutor who has represented parts of Barrington and Warren in the House for the past decade reserved nearly $49,000 for 400 commercials on WPRI, WNAC and The CW through the Sept. 9 primary.

Sydney Keen, Knight’s campaign manager, did not immediately respond to request for comment on media purchases.

That leaves Solomon as the only candidate without any record of ad purchases. His campaign acknowledged a request for comment on its media strategy, but did not send an immediate response.

All four Democratic AG candidates are scheduled to appear at a debate Thursday evening hosted by OpenDoors at the Southside Cultural Center in Providence.

Early voting continues through Sept. 8. The primary is Sept. 9. There is no Republican primary for attorney general. The winner of the Democratic primary would face Republican Alan Gordon in the Nov. 3 general election.