Political advertising under way

Get ready for it folks: The political season is almost here. While there is no official “start date” to kick off the season, it’s never too early to start, and on Tuesday it was announced that the Minnesota governor’s race is making its way to the airwaves. The upcoming precinct caucuses have led three candidates to put up ads — two on radio and one on cable TV. The Feb. 2 caucuses mark the first chance for voters to weigh in on a stocked field of candidates to replace the departing Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Local Republican Marty Seifert and Democrat Matt Entenza began airing radio ads last week. This week, Democrat Tom Rukavina debuts a TV ad that will air on Twin Cities cable. Most candidates are sticking with phone calls or mailings to target their communication to voters likely to be at a caucus and seek to become state convention delegates. We’re going to hear a lot from gubernatorial candidates in the upcoming months, but it’s going to be an interesting spring and summer, especially considering Seifert calls Marshall home and his potential replacement in the House, Taylor Gronau, is a student at Southwest Minnesota State University. Those two give area residents all the reason in the world to pay special attention to this year’s race.