Lincoln Party candidate Ballard starting TV ads in Indiana secretary of state race

Lincoln Party candidate Greg Ballard will soon make it three campaigns with television ads on the air in the Indiana secretary of state’s race.

Ballard’s campaign on Thursday released its first broadcast ad that it said would start airing Monday around the state.

The 30-second ad highlights Ballard’s 23-year career in the Marine Corps, along with his eight years as the Republican mayor of Indianapolis. He touts running as an “independent” in order to “restore professionalism and open a path for more independent-minded Hoosiers to run for office.”

Ballard’s campaign told the Capital Chronicle that it was making an initial week ad buy of $50,000 that it planned to increase going into the Nov. 3 Election Day.

The start of Ballard’s TV ads follows a $1 million advertising push started last month by the state Republican Party on behalf of GOP candidate Max Engling. That includes an ad attacking Ballard over tax increases and crime during his time as the Indianapolis mayor from 2008 through 2015.

Democratic nominee Beau Bayh began TV advertising in mid-August, including negative ads against Engling but not mentioning Ballard.

The Ballard ads mark the first time in at least decades that a candidate other than a Republican or Democrat has had a widespread TV campaign.

Ballard said in a statement that his campaign is continuing to achieve the “impossible.”

“We collected 74,000 signatures to get on the ballot when observers said it couldn’t be done,” he said. “No one thought we’d raise enough money to be on television — let alone for multiple weeks. Serious statewide candidates have to be on television. Now we are.”

Ballard’s campaign spent nearly $800,000 through June on collecting the petition signatures from voters needed to place his name on the November election ballot.

The Lincoln Party, which was legally formed in June, will gain automatic ballot placement for its candidates if Ballard receives at least 2% of the secretary of state vote.