Vermonters today might catch a glimpse of the first televised campaign ad of the 2016 race for governor.
Republican Bruce Lisman is first on the airwaves this cycle with a 60-second spot that opens with a stark appraisal of affairs in the state he’d like to govern.
“Vermont is in a very bad place, and it’s entirely self-inflicted,” Lisman says. “We can do so much better.”
The former Wall Street executive goes on to say he’d improve things by “holding the line on taxes,” “capping budget growth” and “fixing our broken health care system.”
Lisman last week outlined a platform for state budget management that calls for a 2 percent cap in annual budget growth over the next “three to four years.” He also said he’ll abandon the state-based health insurance exchange, called Vermont Health Connect, in favor of a federal version of the online marketplace.
Polling from last September suggests that if any of the candidates for governor could use the lift in name recognition that television ads afford, it’s Lisman.
A poll of 600 Vermonters conducted by the Castleton Polling Institute found that only 21 percent had heard of Lisman. More than three-quarters, meanwhile, had heard of his rival in the GOP gubernatorial primary, Lt. Gov. Phil Scott.
Of the small minority of Vermonters that had heard of Lisman, slightly more than one-third said they had a favorable opinion of him. Seventy percent of Vermonters who had heard of Scott said they had favorable opinions of him.
Lisman released personal financial disclosures recently that revealed he’s worth about $50 million. He says he’s prepared to spend his own money on his race, though he’s declined to say how much.
The 60-second ad will air on WCAX and a statewide cable network, according to a release from the Lisman campaign.
