Wamp says early Haslam ad buy in Chattanooga ‘will not work’

By Andy Sher

asher@timesfreepress.com

NASHVILLE — Republican gubernatorial hopeful Zach Wamp’s campaign says GOP rival Bill Haslam is making a statewide cable television advertising buy beginning Monday but has “secured” broadcast television ads in just one market — Chattanooga.

And that, U.S. Rep. Wamp, R-Tenn., says is an effort by Knoxville Mayor Haslam to block the Chattanooga congressman’s “rising momentum.”

“According to media analysts, Haslam is buying cable television advertisements in all of the state’s media markets beginning Monday, Feb. 8, but has secured broadcast TV advertisements, beginning Friday, Feb. 12, in only one media market in the state — Chattanooga — the hometown of Zach Wamp — and an area where polling indicates Rep. Wamp enjoys overwhelming support,” the campaign said in a news release this afternoon.

That came after the Times Free Press reported earlier today that the Haslam campaign had purchased ads on WRCB-TV Channel 3 and some other Chattanooga stations. The ads on WRCB, an NBC affiliate, begin the day the Olympic games start.

The Wamp campaign labeled Mr. Haslam, who along with family members own Pilot Oil, a “wealthy oil executive.”

Citing unnamed media “analysts,” the Wamp campaign says the total Haslam cable and broadcast media buy, the first in the the gubernatorial race, will “likely cost” the Haslam campaign close to $500,000 in production and placement costs.

The Wamp campaign characterized the buy as “most unusual.” In an interview, Wamp spokesman John Crisp estimated the Chattanooga broadcast buy at about $100,000 or so.

In a statement, U.S. Rep. Wamp said “it’s awfully early and I think unprecedented for any campaign In Tennessee to be spending so much money for such an early television buy, but I guess I am flattered that the Haslams would feel the need to spend the largest share of their campaign money in my home market.”

He said “they can spend all the money they want in trying to buy this election, but it will not work for them. Because more so this time than in any time in recent memory, big money is not going to be the determining factor in this election because the people are sick of big money and big special interests, like the oil companies, calling all of the shots.”

He said “this election is going to be decided by the people — based on ideas, vision, strength and results about who can do the best job for Tennessee — and the fact is after more than a year of campaigning, Bill Haslam has simply not been able to make the case on any of those, which probably explains his desperation in launching such an unusually early TV buy against me.”

A poll conducted July 12-13 poll of 500 past GOP primary voters by the Tarrance Group for the Wamp campaign,found Wamp leading the field with 22 percent support statewide. State Sen. Ron Ramsey had 15 percent support. Shelby County District Attorney General Bill Gibbons had 14 percent. Mr. Haslam had 12 percent support statewide.

The Wamp campaign said the survey also indicated Mr. Wamp was the only candidate in the GOP race already running first or second in every media market in the state.

An independent poll conducted by Insider/Advantage, on behalf of the nonpartisan Southern Political Report also found U.S. Rep. Wamp ahead with 22 percent — compared to 15 percent for Mr. Haslam, the Wamp campaign noted.