Is that a defecating dog in Rep. Marie Newman’s new TV ad?

Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Newman’s latest campaign commercial – prominently featuring bleeped-out profanity from the candidate and what appears to be a defecating dog – is drawing howls from her chief rival’s campaign in the 6th District.

The 30-second ad starts with the congresswoman walking her family’s 6-year-old beagle, Iggy. It quickly cuts to Iggy squatting over a patch of grass in a pose familiar to any dog owner.

Newman then seemingly picks droppings off the grass using a blue bag and drops the bag into a garbage bin.

As the action unfolds, Newman warns viewers in a voice-over that they’re “going to hear a lot of (expletive) about me” from Democratic rival Sean Casten, the incumbent in the 6th District. Newman currently serves the 3rd District but lives near the newly redrawn boundary for the 6th and is running in that district.

Newman goes on to talk about her Chicago-area childhood, some of her political beliefs and the financial support Casten has received from political action committees representing corporations, which she’s eschewed.

As she did in an earlier ad, Newman also mentions Casten voted for Republican President George H.W. Bush. Casten’s campaign has confirmed he did so in 1992, when he was 20.

Newman promises she’ll always fight for “progressive values” and said Casten won’t – even though their stances on abortion, gun control, LGBTQ+ rights and other issues are similar, if not identical.

Newman’s ad debuted June 1 and is airing on cable TV, Newman campaign manager Nick Uniejewski said.

Casten spokesman Jacob Vurpillat said the ad shows Newman is “willing to do anything” to distract voters from an investigation into a contract with a campaign staffer that may have violated federal law.

Iymen Chehade has claimed he didn’t run against Newman in 2020 because she promised him a job. Newman’s lawyer acknowledged the pact violated House employment and federal contracting rules.

The House Ethics Committee is investigating.

Vurpillat also noted Team Casten hasn’t run any negative commercials.

The objectionable material Newman claims voters will be hearing about her is expected to come from political action committees supporting Casten, Uniejewski said.

The 6th District includes much of the west and southwest suburbs in Cook and DuPage counties.

Chicagoan Charles Hughes also is running for the Democratic nomination in the June 28 primary.

The Republican candidates in the 6th District are Niki Conforti of Glen Ellyn, Rob Cruz of Oak Lawn, Gary Grasso of Burr Ridge, Scott Kaspar of Orland Park, Catherine O’Shea of Oak Lawn and Keith Pekau of Orland Park.

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20220601/is-that-a-defecating-dog-in-rep-marie-newmans-new-tv-ad-