Scott Powers
Philip Levine gets down in the muck — literally — in his latest television commercial, pulling a cup full of algae-clotted seawater out of a polluted bay and blaming Republicans and Gov. Rick Scott for neglecting the environment and creating the messes plaguing Florida’s coasts east and west of Lake Okeechobee.
The 30-second spot, “A Leader” also slaps Republican leadership for public education funding with a suggestion that they also made schools less safe.
Sitting in a bass boat, Levine scoops some of the green foul from the water and the pours it back with a plop: “This is what 20 years of neglect looks like because Tallahassee Republicans have ignored our environment.”
Levine’s campaign said it would be spending more than $1.5 million to run the ad statewide.
Levine faces Andrew Gillum, Gwen Graham, Chris King, and Jeff Greene in the Aug. 28 Democratic primary.
As the new commercial’s image switches to that of a young girl on a school bus, with text below quoting a Washington Post story, “scarred by school shootings,” Levine continues his charges against Tallahassee Republicans, saying they, “shortchanged our schools, and endangered lives.”
“I’m Philip Levine. And I’m running for governor to do what Rick Scott won’t do: lead.”
It then offers a few seconds of Levine’s highlights as mayor of Miami Beach, including raising the minimum wage, “eliminate prejudice in policing, ban assault weapons and save the environment. As Governor, I will do the same, as fast as I can.”
