Ads bring new look to Gregg campaign

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Democrat John Gregg is changing the TV ads used in his bid to become governor. Gregg has been facing criticism from fellow Democrats for an ad strategy that failed to force Republican Mike Pence to respond and said little about what he would do as governor. That may be why a production crew was in the Statehouse Wednesday.

Neither John Gregg nor his campaign will reveal details of the advertising that will result from a recording session on the third floor of the Statehouse. Gregg insists that he's sticking with an established campaign plan.

"We're shooting more ads, not new ads, more ads," he said. "We ran out of ads and we're shooting more ads."

But the first thing to notice aside from the Statehouse setting is the dark suit worn by Gregg. Gone is the casual dress and hometown setting in his first five ads, all shot in the southern Indiana community of Sandborn. It's an approach that, according to a recent poll, appeared to be ineffective.

"He's going to have to start talking some real issues and where he plans to take Indiana," Ball State professor Ray Scheele said on Monday , "and thus far that hasn't happened in his television."

Gregg brushed off the criticism.

"You know there's what we call the chattering class," he said, "and I don't listen to the chattering class."

The Democrat did say, however, that he will be saying more about his plans in coming ads.

"Well, the first ads were to introduce me, tell who I am, where I'm from, how I grew up," he said, "and then the next ads are to tell what I've accomplished and what my vision will be for Indiana."

Gregg wrote an autobiography titled "From Sandborn to the Statehouse" and he says his campaign strategy was designed to follow that theme all along. But early voting begins next week and the rest of his message may still be in the can by the time ballots are being cast.