While the new ads seem clever in their deception, they probably won’t be effective in swaying many voters, said Barry Burden, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He noted the messaging is mild compared to attack ads that are hitting Crawford more harshly.
“The ‘Progress 2028’ ad has subtler messaging that requires the viewer to pay close attention to the content and connect the dots,” Burden said. “Voters who are aware enough to make these connections are probably already paying attention to the race and have enough independent information to offset any effect of the ads.”