We're a little less than seven months away from the Louisiana gubernatorial primary election, and already, one candidate is running television commercials.
State treasurer John Schroder launched his first TV spot last week. According to a new poll conducted by JMC Analytics, Schroder is polling in single digits below five percent.
According to one political analyst, this early commercial push could benefit Schroder.
"I think that it demonstrates that he is a serious contender for this position of governor," said LSU Political Science Department Chair Robert Hogan, who added that these commercials will help Schroder on two fronts. "Now is the time to start building not only recognition with voters, but also a campaign base of support for activists and also, most importantly, for fundraising purposes."
That's why Hogan says these commercials are a logical step forward for the Schroder Campaign.
"If you're not well known, if you're not a household name, it's important that you do something to build name recognition," Hogan said. "For candidates who already have name recognition like Landry, he's someone who doesn't need to build name recognition and who already has a lot of activists and also funders across the state.
"I think Schroder getting out there now is a sign that he's making a serious effort, but it's also a sign that he has work to do," Hogan added.
According to the JMC Analytics poll, former DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson, the lone Democrat in the field, is in the lead at 29 percent. Attorney General Landry is right behind him, leading the Republican candidates at 28 percent. All other candidates in the field are polling in the single digits. JMC Analytics owner John Couvillon told WWL's Tommy Tucker that the poll was taken before former Louisiana Association of Business and Industry President Stephen Waguespack entered the race. Couvillon also noted that Congressman Garret Graves, who announced days after the survey was taken that he would not run, polled at 12 percent.
Will Schroder's spots prompt other candidates to begin running their own?
"Possibly, if they have the money to do so," Hogan said. "It depends on what he says. A lot of these early ads for someone like him, I suspect, are going to be focused more on just introducing himself to the public. It's not going to be attacking anyone or anything like that."
