Jena Griswold launches 1st TV spot in reelection bid

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold released the first TV ad in her reelection campaign Monday, touting what the Democrat calls her efforts to “champion” the right to vote.

Set to air on broadcast, cable, digital and streaming platforms statewide, the 30-second spot depicts Griswold moving briskly through various settings where Coloradans can fill out and cast their ballots — including a traditional polling place, a bustling kitchen, a mail box and ballot drop boxes — as she describes steps she’s taken to promote voting.

In the ad, Griswold says she expanded in-person voting, launched a statewide system so voters can track their ballots, increased the number of ballot drop boxes and instituted automatic voter registration.

“Whether you’re Republican, Democrat or unaffiliated I’m a champion for your vote,” she says in the ad.

Griswold is facing a challenge from Republican Pam Anderson, a former Jefferson County clerk and head of the Colorado County Clerks Association, who says her decades of experience make her better qualified to run state elections.

Anderson, who has won endorsements from across party lines, also vows to avoid what she characterizes as Griswold’s overly partisan approach to the job, which has become a flashpoint in recent years in the wake of former President Donald Trump and some of his supporters’ efforts to cast doubt on the security and integrity of the country’s election systems.

“As secretary of state I don’t just protect the right to vote for Republicans, unaffiliateds and Democrats, I champion it,” Griswold said in a statement. “That’s why I expanded in-person voting, increased dropboxes by over 65%, launched a statewide system so every voter can track their ballot, and passed automatic voter registration, registering more than 350,000 eligible Coloradans.”

Her campaign added that during the Democrat’s tenure in office overseeing six statewide elections, Griswold has led on legislation to guarantee voting access on tribal lands and public colleges, ban open-carried firearms within 100 feet of voting locations and establish a program to let voters fix signature issues on their ballots using their smartphones.

Griswold’s campaign has reserved $2.2 million in fall TV advertising and plans to stay on the air for the six weeks remaining until the Nov. 8 election, a spokesman told Colorado Politics.

Anderson has yet to announce whether she’s going up on TV.

Griswold’s new ad likely won’t be the first time viewers see Griswold talking about voting on their TV screens and devices. Earlier this summer, her office spent more than $1 million to air an ad that also featured her Republican predecessor, Wayne Williams, urging viewers to “get the facts about election security” in an effort to combat false claims about elections and voting.

The ad drew sharp criticism from some Republicans, including charges that both Griswold and Williams were promoting their own candidacies on the public dime — Williams is running for mayor in Colorado Springs in next spring’s election.