It’s not unusual for Alabama political candidates to be unintentionally funny. 2010 was actually a banner year for viral campaign ads coming out of the Yellowhammer State. The combination of quirky candidates and the rise of YouTube resulted in Alabama campaign spots and their subsequent parodies exploding across the web.
In spite of the fact that Dale Peterson is running for office again, 2014 has been a bit more subdued on the viral video front. But a handful of candidates have tried their hand at being funny on purpose. Humor can be a powerful weapon when used effectively in a campaign, but it’s fairly rare for a candidate to actually pull it off.
In Alabama House District 47, incumbent Rep. Jack Williams, R-Vestavia Hills, and challenger David Wheeler are out with dueling ads using humor to attack each other and leave a lasting impression on the voters.
Williams’s ad goes after Wheeler for being a “Washington lobbyist” after he spent several years in the nation’s capital as the manager of federal affairs for Alabama Power.
Wheeler’s ad refers to Williams as “Taxin’ Jack” and is set to the theme music from The Flintstones. The Wheeler campaign put Williams’ head on Barney Rubble’s cartoon body and dubbed him a “Taxasaurus” who lives in a “pre-historic world of tax-and-spend liberalism.”
Do you think the ads are effective? Which one do you like the best? Let us know in the comment section below or tweet us @YHPolitics.
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims
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