Abraham, Kenney launch first campaign-funded TV ads [video]

Sure, you’ve likely seen mayoral candidate Jim Kenney’s face on television ads before this week, what with independent expenditure groups corralling airtime on his behalf.

So, the “Hard Choices” spot he unveiled on Monday won’t seem out of the ordinary, even if it’s the first that’s been funded by the campaign.

The same can’t be said for the Lynne Abraham ad, which is part of a “major TV buy” (read: $700K of reserved air time) though the campaign, scheduled to premiere on local television today.

The ad from Abraham, who recently sat down for a casual chat with WHYY’s Morning Edition host Jennifer Lynn, centers on education and takes aim at the two candidates perceived to be leading her in the race: Kenney and state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams.

WHYY’s Katie Colaneri has more:

Two polls conducted by groups supporting Jim Kenney show him leading state Sen. Tony Williams by as much as 9 points and Abraham by 15 points.

Abraham takes them both on in her new TV ad to begin airing Tuesday. It focuses strictly on school funding and features the candidate walking through a room filled with pictures of students.

“There’s over 200,000 students in Philadelphia. Jim Kenney and Tony Williams are fighting over public schools vs. charters,” Abraham says. “I think they’re both wrong. It’s making sure they all get a good education.”

Both Kenney and Williams have said they support good schools of all kinds, and it’s the first hint of negativity in what has been a positive campaign ad season.

Abraham, who says it is “wrong Philadelphia gets less school funding than other parts of Pennsylvania,” repeats her vow to sue the state in federal court if the legislature fails to send more money to the city’s schools.