By Denise Ross

If you’ve been looking for Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., on the campaign trail this summer, you might have been disappointed. Our two-term senior senator hasn’t been terribly high profile yet.

But he showed up in the Hoghouse e-mail Monday, courtesy of one of these new-fangled netroots communiques, in the form of a TV ad - that I could help pay for. Yippee! (Sorry, Jarding. The Hoghouse doesn’t roll that way. We do, however, accept donations. See button at right.)

Here’s the video, with the full communique to follow:

Here are highlights from Steve Jarding’s e-mail, with the full message on the jump:  

Dear Friend, (wow, that’s not how e-mails from campaign managers usually start out.) …

This is a critical milestone in our campaign and our chance to convince voters why they need to send Tim back to the U.S. Senate. This milestone — for Tim and for the campaign — would not have been possible without your support over the years and throughout his recovery. (I’m feelin’ the sunshine.) …

Since his return, Tim has not missed a single vote, and he has sponsored or cosponsored 140 pieces of legislation. He continues to use his powerful and senior positions on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Indian Affairs Committee, and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, to deliver important legislation and critical funding for South Dakota. (Get used to hearing this.)

Since the e-mail offers fans of Tim the opportunity to pay for the ad, I doubt we’ll see it on TV for at least another month. According to ActBlue, they’ve raised $670 from 13 people at the time of this post. South Dakota is a cheap media market, but they’ve still got a ways to go.

Read Jarding’s full message by clicking CLICK HERE below.

Here’s the full e-mail text:

Dear Friend,

Today, we are launching our first TV ad, “Headstrong,” with Tim Johnson and his wife Barb. I wanted you to be the first to know about it.
 
This is a critical milestone in our campaign and our chance to convince voters why they need to send Tim back to the U.S. Senate. This milestone — for Tim and for the campaign — would not have been possible without your support over the years and throughout his recovery.
 
Watch the Ad! | Help Fund the Ad!
 
In the lighthearted ad, Tim and Barb Johnson can be seen sitting around a table and opens with Barb saying, “My husband’s a little headstrong.”  To which, Tim replies, “I call it determined.”  Tim and Barb discuss his fight to return to work for the people of South Dakota.
 
While Tim’s speech may not be completely back to normal yet, he is improving everyday and is determined to continue making a difference for South Dakota families as our U.S. Senator. As Tim says in the ad, his illness has given him “a unique view on life,” a second chance he intends to use to fight even harder for South Dakota.

The ad closes with Barb joking that one of the reasons the Johnson family wanted Johnson to run for reelection was because, “I wanted him out of the house.” To which Tim responds, “And I paid for this?”

(Here there is a still-frame from the video, and if you click on it, a new ActBlue window featuring the real video opens up.)

Since his return, Tim has not missed a single vote, and he has sponsored or cosponsored 140 pieces of legislation. He continues to use his powerful and senior positions on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Indian Affairs Committee, and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, to deliver important legislation and critical funding for South Dakota.
 
Tim has always counted on supporters like you to get to where he is today, and that remains the case moving forward! After you watch the new ad, please make a contribution so that we can make sure we reach every South Dakota voter.
 
Thank you for watching our new ad, and for your continued support as we close in on three months until Election Day!
 
Sincerely,

Steve Jarding
Tim Johnson for South Dakota

(Then there’s a “contribute” button for the generous folks out there.)

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