Matheson finally starts airing a TV campaign ad

U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, the Democratic incumbent in the 2nd Congressional District, has started running his first TV ad — coming a bit late to the paid media contest being waged by his GOP challenger, Bill Dew.

Dew has been running radio ads, and a few TV ads, for weeks. Dew has a seven-minute video that contains some of his earlier ads, introducing himself and taking a few shots at Matheson, as well.

Matheson's ad talks about his work trying to develop Utah oil shale, pushing renewable energy resources as well. "We need to do it all. That means more domestic drilling and increasing our refining capacity," Matheson says in the short spot.

His "oil development" ad counters some of the hardest-hitting ads placed by Dew, who is critical of Matheson's energy policies.

Matheson still has a huge war chest to buy expensive TV ads — $1.3 million in cash as of his mid-July report. Dew, a millionaire through his former homebuilding business, has given his campaign $350,000 and has the ability to self-fund more media buys up to the Nov. 4 election.

So far, Dew's advertising hasn't improved his standing among 2nd District constituents, recent polls show.

A Deseret News/KSL-TV poll by Dan Jones & Associates taken in mid-September found Matheson ahead of Dew, 62-27 percent, with only 8 percent undecided.

Clearly, Dew has a political mountain to climb. And he's said as much.

For example, one press release says his challenge of the rather popular Matheson may seem "impossible" to some. One ad has his main campaign consultant, Alan Crooks, saying that when Dew wins in November it will be "the biggest upset in the country."

In another ad, Dew says as he travels the geographically large 2nd District, he is asked "all the time" how he can beat Matheson. Dew's answer: "By being right on the issues."

Dew has blasted Matheson time and again this summer over a number of the Democrat's votes in Congress, sending out critical press releases and/or buying radio and newspaper ads with regularity. Matheson just doesn't "reflect Utah values," says Dew.

However, in general Dew's criticisms follow the same trail that previous GOP challengers to Matheson walked: that Matheson votes as national Democrats and liberal House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., want him to; that he supports national Democratic candidates, like Barack Obama, and their agenda; that he supports the national Democratic Party platform.

That tactic hasn't worked recently — in part because Matheson makes a big deal of it when he votes against national Democrats.

An example: Monday, Matheson voted against the $700 billion "bailout" of national financial institutions, a "no" vote he shared with Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, and many other Republican House members.

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