Watch a new advertisement supporting Chris Miller, a candidate in the Illinois 110th House District, and you won't see “hit pieces” or negativity commonly associated with a hard-fought campaign season.
Instead, what you'll see is an unusual take on political advertising -- the ad starts with four young women playing stringed instruments with a caption: “Eden String Quartet.”
Shortly, the video moves to pastoral scenes of farming -- steers in a field, tractors in action -- and then to a scene of a family praying in the kitchen.
A line in the ad explains the elegant music and scenery this way: “Chris & Mary Miller's four daughters formed Eden String Quartet to make beautiful music.”
Additional text at the end explains Miller wants to get into office “to change the tune in Springfield.”
For Miller, a farmer, this is his first political campaign. Unlike many who have been in the Illinois House for many years, Miller is coming to the process from the outside.
The ad illustrates some of Miller's philosophies about political work as he's expressed them to East Central Reporter in the past. When reached to discuss internal primary conflicts and other issues, Miller has been consistently dismissive of the kind of aggressive and sometimes mean-spirited politics that can also rely on playing fast and loose with the facts.
Instead, as Miller so often points out, he's involved in meeting constituents and getting their point of view.
The advertisement showcases this concept nicely -- by focusing on internally positive images and information, it brings a sense of serenity and confidence into a process that's been driven by conflict and disorder.
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