UPDATE: Shortly after publishing this post, we learned from the Shumlin campaign that the ad mentioned immediately below won't air until Monday. A separate ad featuring Barre Mayor Thom Lauzon and Rutland Mayor Chris Louras, which was just posted on YouTube, began running today. We've included that video at the bottom of this post.

Gov. Peter Shumlin posted his first campaign ad of the season Thursday on YouTube, and it hits on some familiar themes: job creation, health care reform and the state's recovery from Tropical Storm Irene.

If you're like us and you drink every time you hear him say some variation of how he "gets tough things done," then you'd better keep the TV off 'til Nov. 6 — or find yourself a designated driver.

The ad features the governor speaking directly to the camera, with what could pass for the West Wing soundtrack playing in the background. Looking mighty sincere, he tells us, "When you elected me governor, I said we'd get tough things done. And together, we've made it through some tough times."

After breezing through his accomplishments, Shummy flashes us his trademark smile and says, "So I'm asking for your vote. With your help, we'll keep getting tough things done, together."

Here's the ad:

As we reported in this week's Fair Game, Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Brock has a new television ad out today hitting Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin on his record on taxes and spending.

"It continues to show the contrast between what Gov. Shumlin will do and what I propose doing," Brock told Seven Days late Tuesday. "I propose more focus on honest spending."

Here's what the new ad looks like:

According to records filed with the Secretary of State's office, it looks like Brock's buying just $30,000 in air time, which won't get him too far. The Franklin County senator hinted to reporters last week that he may replenish his campaign account with another personal loan — he's already invested $300,000 of his own money — but Brock said Tuesday that he has yet to make such a decision.

Shumlin's campaign plans to air its first two ads of the cycle starting later this week at a cost of $125,000.

We caught up with the governor Wednesday after a press conference at Winooski's MyWebGrocer and asked him about Brock's ad. Though he hadn't yet seen it, Shumlin was more than happy to discuss his own spending record.

**Updated below**

The liberal super PAC Vermont Priorities will run its first ad starting Wednesday and, as expected, it will back Democratic State Treasurer Beth Pearce.

The 30-second ad will air during the morning and evening news on WCAX-TV Thursday and Friday and will also run for a week on cable television, according to Todd Bailey, the group's consultant. The buy cost the group $15,000.

"We're anticipating other contributions coming in and, as those come in, we'll buy accordingly for this particular ad," Bailey says.

Here's what the ad looks like:

Republican candidate for attorney general Jack McMullen is up with two new TV ads: one taking incumbent Democratic AG Bill Sorrell to task on crime and the other faulting him for personally arguing a campaign finance case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Though McMullen declined to reveal how much he's spending to air the two ads, he said he's raised $50,000 from contributors thus far and loaned his campaign an amount "in the low six figures." He added that his campaign could pay back the personal loan if it succeeds in raising more money.

According to McMullen, the ad focusing on crime will run for several weeks — possibly through the election — and replaces an earlier biographical ad. It features footage of two somewhat preppy-looking drug dealers handing off the goods, as well as a still shot of an older woman with purple bruises below her eye and on her lips. Here, watch it for yourself:

As the ever-enterprising Peter Hirschfeld of the Vermont Press Bureau reported earlier Tuesday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Brock is hitting the airwaves with a new TV ad — this one focused on Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin's single-payer health care agenda.

Brock's finance consultant and de facto campaign manager Darcie Johnston confirmed to Seven Days that the new ad will run for 10 days at a cost of $70,000. It comes on the heels of a previous 10-day, $70,000 ad campaign focusing on the economy and featuring a singing Shumlin.

Here's the new ad. And, boy, does the soundtrack creep us out.

Let's play a game.

Step one: Watch the following new television advertisement from the conservative super PAC Vermonters First.

Now, pop quiz: Asked Monday whether they support broadening Vermont's sales tax to cover not just goods but services rendered, the two major-party candidates running for governor provided the following answers.

Your mission? To guess which response came from Gov. Peter Shumlin, one of those "out-of-control" Democrats running Montpelier, and which came from Sen. Randy Brock (R-Franklin), the free-market savior running to replace him.

Candidate A:

"I think the jury's still out on broadening the sales tax base," said Candidate A. "The key is what services are going to be included and what's the unintended consequences. We have taken zero testimony on that. And until I hear testimony, I'm not going to draw a conclusion."

Candidate B:

"I have been a longtime opponent of the sales tax. I have watched the sales tax drive jobs and economic opportunities into New Hampshire along the eastern side of the state, and it's had a devastating impact on jobs and job growth," said Candidate B. "I have never been enthusiastic about expanding or raising the sales tax. I have always been against it."

Time's up! Pencils down.

Only, something has changed in the political world since ol' Jimbo hung up his hat. Things just ain't what they used to be. This year, the ex-gov says, he just "can't wait for the political season to be over" and envies "our Canadian neighbors, who recently ended a campaign that lasted a mere 33 days."

Why?

We're enduring a barrage of radio, television and internet ads that are trying to influence our votes. Most don't offer policy initiatives or visions of the contenders who sponsor them: the majority tell us why the other candidate is no good. Even the positive ads lack any real substance, for fear of offending a key constituency or furnishing fodder to the opposition.

Back when Douglas was running for office, things were different. Douglas kept things positive and stuck to the issues. Like in this ad from his 2008 race against then-House Speaker Gaye Symington and then-radio host Anthony Pollina:

Do you know Jack?

You might soon, if you own a TV.

That's because Jack McMullen, the Republican candidate for attorney general, has launched a television advertising campaign — and he plans to stay on the airwaves through Election Day. McMullen says he's planning to run five different ads, one of which will make light of his famous "teats on a cow" fumble in a 1998 debate.

"We intend to run a vigorous campaign here," McMullen says. "I have to overcome what appears to be the perception I'm not running a serious campaign. I think I am running a serious campaign. I think I'm a credible candidate, if you know my background."

To that end, McMullen on Saturday began airing a 30-second biographical ad on WCAX-TV and WPTZ-TV. The ad begins with a narrator asking, "Do you know Jack?" It then informs the viewer about "The Real Jack" — focusing on his working class roots, military career and Harvard education. It closes by briefly touching on McMullen's signature issue: crime.

UPDATED WITH VIDEO: See below, "Who's He Fooling," one of three ads Brock is began airing Saturday morning.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Brock will launch his general election television advertising campaign Saturday with a clip of his Democratic opponent, Gov. Peter Shumlin, singing the Beatles.

Brock says his campaign has invested $70,000 in the 10-day ad run, which starts Saturday morning.  According to public records obtained at WCAX-TV, Brock will spend $26,671 on 68 spots on the station during that time period. Brock's campaign says it also plans to go up on WPTZ-TV and Fox44.

Brock says the three ads in rotation, which will focus on the economy and health care, "are designed to show the contrast between my position and those of Gov. Shumlin."

He also confirmed that one of the ads will feature the governor singing the Beatles' classic, "Here Comes the Sun." The footage presumably comes from Shumlin's impromptu a capella performance of the song during the Burlington Business Association's annual dinner in April at the Hilton.

"I hope they'll be kind of fun and enjoyable," Brock says.

click to enlarge

"We're growing jobs, we're delivering on promises to get tough things done, and we are making extraordinary progress to make this state a better place to get a job, a better place to make a living and a better place for our kids to prosper," Shumlin said.

After spending the summer putting off questions about his long-running campaign for reelection, the governor finally embraced his status as a candidate Monday, touring the state from Bennington to Rutland to Burlington. At Nectar's, he found a welcoming reception from cabinet secretaries, legislators, staffers and donors.

In a 17-minute speech, Shumlin outlined the achievements of his first term and goals for a second term while hammering Republican opponent Randy Brock's health care plan. Though much of his speech focused on the brewing debate over competing health care plans — a debate the incumbent appears to relish — Shumlin told Seven Days afterward that his campaign would be squarely focused on selling his economic record.

We'll have more on Shumlin's campaign kickoff in Wednesday's Fair Game. For now, we leave you with a video of the governor's speech and some photos from the event.