Daniel Biss Buys His First TV Ads In Governors Race

EVANSTON, IL — Evanston state Senator Daniel Biss's campaign for governor announced the launch of its first television ads Tuesday. Ahead of this months' deadline for candidates to submit fourth quarter campaign filings, the Evanston Democrat's campaign said it raised more than $1 million and has more than $3.1 million cash on hand.

Now it says its ready to hit the airwaves – on a combination of broadcast, cable and digital – and stay up through the March 20 primary.

The pair of new ads, the 15-second "Homework" and the 30-second "Personal," portray Biss as middle-class parent of kids in public schools.

“As the only candidate for governor with kids in public schools, I’m also the only one who will make billionaires pay their fair share in taxes to fully fund them,” Biss says in the ad.

In one ad, Biss and his wife Karin Steinbrueck, prepare for school in the morning with their two children. In another, Biss sits at the dining room table with his son to help on homework.

"They'll spend any amount to win, but we're the ones that lose," Biss says. His campaign has sought to draw a contrast with the billionaire Democratic front runner JB Pritzker.

It previously released a digital ad denouncing "rich guys bombarding you with their money," while pointing out the campaigns of rivals Pritzker and Chris Kennedy have only released one-page summaries of their tax returns.

Crain's Chicago Business reports that Kennedy's campaign has been spending more rapidly and may have less cash available than Biss heading into the primary's final quarter.

Biss's fundraising was mostly comprised of small, in-state donations. His campaign said 96 percent of donations came from inside Illinois and 78 percent were under $100, according to Crain's.

Last month, Biss won a straw poll following a forum organized by a coalition of local women's groups with 46 percent to 29 percent for Pritzker and 23 percent for Kennedy, WMAQ-TV reported. Tio Hardiman received 7 percent of ballots.

But in a Capitol Fax/We Ask America poll conducted in October, Pritzker led with 39 percent. He was trailed by Chris Kennedy with 15 percent and Biss with just 6 percent of the vote.

In that poll, Biss was the least recognized candidate among likely voters. 69 percent of Democrats had not heard of the state senator for the 9th District.

The deadline for candidates to file fundraising reports for the fourth quarter of last year is Jan. 16.

Candidate Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton), who is challenging the governor from his right flank in the Republican primary, took issue with Biss's claim he is the only candidate with kids in public school, noting her son attends public high school.

Watch Biss's ads below:

_{Top photo via YouTube}