VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — You’ve seen them on TV, but who are some of the so called “real people” vouching for both Rep. Scott Taylor and his challenger Elaine Luria in the 2nd District race?
Well, turns out a couple of them could be your neighbors, and they are pitching the candidate they think should win.
“This November I’m going to do something that I have never done before,” says the testimonial campaign ad that features retired Navy Captain Mike Ott, who has never voted for a Democrat until now.
“She could also be the last,” Ott says with a laugh. “Elaine is someone who set a standard, expected her sailors to maintain that standard, but did that through compassion. She is the most compassionate leader that I have ever seen,” Ott told 10 On Your Side from his Virginia Beach home.
Elaine Luria was a commanding officer under Mike Ott’s command at Little Creek, “but calling Elaine Luria a Democrat misses the point. She is an outstanding commanding officer, a mother, and a tenacious leader who puts her country above her party,” Ott says in the ad.
He also wrote the words he says, and claims it took seven takes to get it right.
Ott went on about Luria, “Her command philosophy at Assault Craft Unit 2 was be good, do good work. So those are the words she lived by, and lead by. I think she has carried that through to her campaign too … she was solving problems before I knew there was a problem. She typically brought me solutions.”
On Scott Taylor’s side, “I really like his stance on pre-existing conditions,” says Liddy Crockett, whose mother Annella died from breast and ovarian cancer.
In the Scott Taylor ad, Jean Bailey said, “My mom passed from breast cancer.” Crockett answers, “I know, mine did too.” Crockett told 10 On Your Side, “I feel very strongly because I have had so much loss to cancer in my family and Scott has too.”
Crockett votes Republican, but is not a political person. She says she cares only about one issue, which is health care for pre-existing conditions. She didn’t really even know Taylor before this campaign.
Crockett says in the commercial, “So I looked into Scott’s stands on pre-existing conditions. He voted for the American Health Care Act. The truth is Scott stood up to the insurance companies.”
Crockett also notes Taylor co-sponsored HR-628, that would require pre-existing conditions covered if the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, were overturned by Republicans.
Now she’s recognized everywhere she goes, “They say ‘excuse me. Are you the gal in the Scott Taylor commercial?’ ‘Yes, I am,'” she says with a laugh.”
Mike Ott says he’s getting lots of comments from friends, emails and text messages, too. It is clear, Mike Ott and Liddy Crockett both have important messages that you will see plenty more times before Tuesday.