Ad: “Naysayers”
Candidate: Jeff Yarbro
Transcript: “Nashville’s never been a place for naysayers. Or quitters. And we’re sure as heck not gonna start now. I’m Jeff Yarbro. As state senator, I’ve never given up the fight to protect abortion rights and pass tougher gun safety laws. As mayor, I’ll always defend the city we love from politicians who hate. Stop the giveaways to big developers. And work to make Nashville safer and more affordable for all our families.”
Analysis: There are few things as reliable as a good beat in a commercial — particularly a political spot — and “Naysayers” starts with a drum sound that sounds straight out of Gary Glitter’s “Rock ‘n Roll, Part 2,” an all-time arena rock anthem. It’s smart and propulsive. Over the music, Yarbro aims straight at Democrats who have been horrified by the state’s post-Dobbs abortion ban and lack of response to the Covenant School shooting. These are strong appeals on issues about which the mayor can do very little. But they are also issues that are top of mind for a big swath of the city’s electorate and highlight his legislative experience. There’s another appeal that he will “stop the giveaways to big developers” that taps into fears about the city’s growth, but it’s also kind of a straw man that lets the viewer pour their own personal grievance into the ad. What big development would he oppose? Not the Titans’ stadium, for which he sponsored the bill to approve money while in the state senate. Yarbro is playing catch up, entering the field when John Cooper decided not to run for re-election. This ad shows he thinks his best shot to make the runoff is with Democrats who have yet to make up their minds.
Where can you see it: Broadcast and digital