Campaign ads for McClure, Brunner, and SPS bond issue to start airing on TV

Claudette Riley
Springfield News-Leader

Campaign ads for Springfield mayoral incumbent Ken McClure and school board candidate Judy Brunner are scheduled to start running Monday on KY3.

The KYTV media outlet, in keeping with public reporting rules, regularly posts contracts and other details related to political advertising.

As of Wednesday, no political advertising contracts for other local candidates on the April 4 ballot had been posted on the KY3 website.

It is still fairly rare for candidates seeking local offices to run campaign ads on TV but its popularity appears to be growing, especially as campaign fundraising totals increase.

No contracts for political attack ads — which were prominent in the 2022 school board election — had been posted, as of Wednesday, for the upcoming election.

In late March and early April of last year, ads targeting board incumbent Charles Taylor were paid for by the outside spending group Truth In Politics. He was not re-elected.

The contract between KYTV and Citizens for Ken McClure, the campaign committee set up by the candidate, was for 179 spots — 104 of them in the first four days of April — for a total cost of $52,416.

McClure, a retired university official who has been mayor since 2017, faces challenger Melanie Bach, president of the Galloway Village Neighborhood Association.

The contract between KYTV and Brunner for School Board, the campaign committee set by the candidate, was for 123 spots — 72 of them in early April — for a total cost of $35,928.

The 30-second ads for McClure and Brunner will run during Ozarks Today, the Today Show, the Rachael Ray Show, Wheel of Fortune, NBC Nightly News and during various broadcasts of the KY3 News.

Brunner, a former Springfield principal and administrator, is one of four candidates running for two open seats on the school board. The two candidates with the most votes will be sworn in.

Other candidates include Landon McCarter, a business owner and entrepreneur; incumbent Shurita Thomas-Tate, an associate professor at Missouri State University; and Chad Rollins, a pharmacist.

In the 2022 school board race, the only candidate's campaign committee that bought ads on KY3 was Kelly Byrne, who won one of two open seats. The other candidate elected was Steve Makoski.

Ads planned for SPS school bond issue

A review of KYTV political advertising contracts showed 30-second spots will start airing March 22 in support of the $220 million bond issue that Springfield Public Schools placed on the April 4 ballot.

The district proposed the "no tax increase" bond issue — which will add to the district's debt but not alter the debt-service tax levy for property owners, if approved — includes safety and security projects, a new Pipkin Middle School, a new Reed Academy, a renovated and reconfigured Pershing school and storm shelter gymnasium additions at six elementary schools.

More:Hear from local candidates: Coalition hosts interviews for April 4 election

The 66 spots, most of which will air in April, were purchased by Friends of SPS, a campaign committee set up by the citizens who support the funding request, at a total cost of $47,425.

They will appear during similar news and entertainment programming as the ads for McClure and Brunner.

A check of the public files for KOLR-10 showed no contracts for political advertising related to the April 4 election.

Claudette Riley covers education for the News-Leader. Email tips and story ideas to criley@news-leader.com.