Gillespie’s latest round of ads to hit airwaves Saturday – updated

Ed Gillespie (Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell)

By Lynn R. Mitchell

While liberals have tried to make hay with Ed Gillespie’s temporary absence from the airwaves, it’s actually the calm before the storm as the Gillespie campaign gears up for a Saturday launch that may be highlighting a major pivot in messaging. The timing is perfect as Gillespie surges, riding the Republican wave that is building across the country.

Reading the VPAP news clips this morning, it was clear media types were pouncing on Gillespie. “Ed Gillesipe goes dark on television in Virginia senate race,” screamed the Washington Post while the New York Times blared, “Gillespie to leave airtime in Virginia to others” and the AP piled on with, “GOP’s Gillespie ditches ads in senate race in Va.”

The Richmond Times-Dispatch was the only one to honestly report that Gillespie was “temporarily ditching ads.”

When long-time political pundit Larry Sabato writes that Puckettgate is “not a good development for Mark Warner,” it’s serious. Get ready for the final push and hang on … Gillespie is in a full-out sprint to the finish line.

UPDATE: The new ad was out by mid-day Friday and will hit the airwaves Saturday (see Presview: Ed Gillespie’s new TV ad … “Changed”).