Charlyn Daugherty wants her husband out of the house for a while, and she isn’t above begging to get her way.
Daugherty’s husband, Gerald Daugherty, is running for reelection to the Travis County, Texas, Commissioners Court. It is an important position, helping to administer the county budget and setting tax rates and fees for local services, but the work can be rather dry.
The Austin couple plays on that fact in the ad, which portrays Daugherty doing chores around the house and grilling out back for guests, whose eyes glaze over as Daugherty rattles on and on about tax rates, statistics and mind-numbing details of county budgets.
Charlyn Daugherty gives the camera knowing glances throughout the minute-long spot, at one point stating, “Gerald doesn't have any hobbies.” When her husband mentions, while doing laundry, how much he’s enjoying helping around the house, a look of panic enters her eyes.
At the end of the ad, she looks into the camera again and pleads, "Please reelect Gerald. Please."
The Washington Post points out that the ad never mentions Daugherty's political leanings as a Republican in a liberal city. Instead, the newspaper writes, it portrays him as a competent candidate who loves the minutiae of the position he holds.
The ad was first introduced in October, the Post reports. It began gaining national attention this week.
Daugherty was first elected to the commissioners court in 2002, but lost his seat in 2008, the Post reports. He was reelected in 2012.
See Daugherty's campaign ad below.
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