Yesterday, McHenry County Blog showed you the television ad that State Rep. candidate David McSweeney is running.

It is a negative one about opponent State Rep. Kent Gaffney, against whom he is running as well as against Danielle Rowe.

Late last week a companion mail piece arrived in district mailboxes.

It’s goal is to define McSweeney as a “businessman,” while defining Gaffney as a “state bureaucrat.”

The address side has the tried and true broom and refers to it’s being time for “spring cleaning.” (I have clipped off the address.)

The crumpled up wads of paper theme is continued on the back of this Dave McSweeney mailing.

On the back is a side-by-side comparison of the two candidates.

The comparison of Dave McSweeney and Kent Gaffney on the back of the piece is unflattering to Gaffney. Third candidate Danielle Rowe is not mentioned. Click to enlarge.

Since McSweeney is paying for the piece, favorable things are said about McSweeney and unfavorable comments and attributions are made about Gaffney.

For example, Gaffney seems to be blamed for the 67% income tax hike (for which no Republicans voted
Yes” and passed before his predecessor Mark Beaubien died).

Gaffney also takes the hit for “$8 billion in unpaid bills,” plus “$83 billion in unfunded pension liabilities” and mentions his $106,000 a year salary “a state employee.”

Needless to say, Gaffney thinks it is unfair to be blamed for actions most Republicans blame Democrats for and he emphasizes his state employment as the House Republican Budget Director, instead of describing himself as “a state employee.”

Generally, when candidates go negative, the race is closed than the one going negative wishes.