Ozinga's Ad Buy

By Kevin Robinson in News on Apr 7, 2008 4:00PM

Ozinga Concrete launched a large ad buy last week on WLS-AM (890) radio. The ads, which promote a porous, environmentally friendly concrete, mention the Ozinga name eight times. Which wouldn't really be news if Marty Ozinga, who owns the company, didn't want to run for congress this year.

Ozinga is one of a handful of Republicans that are vying to get the nod to run for Jerry Weller's seat in the 11th congressional district. Weller announced he was retiring earlier this year, and Tim Baldermann, who won the primary, backed out of the race earlier this year. But the ads have caught the attention of more than just local GOP leaders who will pick a candidate at the end of this month. The Washington, D.C.-based Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, who is running Democratic Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson's congressional campaign, also heard the ads. "The perception is that it's like a campaign ad," said DCCC regional director, Ryan Rudominer. Andy Sere, Ozinga's campaign manager defended the ads. "Is Ozinga supposed to take its trucks off the road and close shop during the campaign? No, and that's not what the law requires," he told the Southtown Star. Although the timing of the ad seems opportune for Ozinga, a copy of the advertising contract with WLS shows that they were bought two weeks before Baldermann announced he was quitting the race. WLS general manager John Gallagher defended the ads, saying "if the DCCC is going to come after them for that, they'd have to go after half the people running for office in the United States, no matter when the contract was signed."

Image via Swanksalot