WATCH: Group to attack Polis with parody ‘Here’s to you’ ad during Monday Night Football game

An outside group plans to debut an ad attacking Colorado Gov. Jared Polis during tonight’s Monday Night Football game between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks.
Set to air across statewide on broadcast, cable and streaming platforms, the 60-second spot is a take-off on a popular series of Bud Light TV and radio commercials aired more than a decade ago that celebrated everyday heroes, though the version aimed at Polis charges that the Democrat has “turned Colorado into a hot mess” since taking office.
Marking Broncos star quarterback Russell Wilson’s debut against his former team, Monday night’s game is expected to draw an enormous audience in Colorado. The game is set to air locally on ABC, ESPN and the ESPN+ streaming platform.
Polis is seeking a second, four-year term in November. His challengers include Republican Heidi Ganahl, a University of Colorado regent at-large, and rancher Danielle Neuschwanger, a former Republican running on a third-party ticket.
“Here’s to you, Jared Polis,” croons a soulful singer, who alternates with a narrator mock-congratulating Polis for the state’s status leading the nation in car thefts and drug overdoses.
“If your goal was more violent crime and homelessness, job well done, Jared Polis,” the narrator says, between humorous interjections from the singer: “Has anyone seen my car?” and “There’s poop on the sidewalk.”
“No one is better at creating problems and then saying, ‘I’m just the person to fix that,'” the narrator concludes after accusing Polis of raising taxes and then promising to cut taxes.
After reviewing the new ad, a spokeswoman for the Polis campaign said in a text message to Colorado Politics: “Governor Polis is working hard to earn voters’ support, including getting his message out to all Coloradans about how he will protect our freedoms, fight to cut costs and improve public safety. He will always do what’s right for Colorado.”
“We will define his narrative, not the media,” said someone identified only as “a representative” of the Restore the Rockies committee in a release. “It’s about time someone told the truth about Jared Polis. Restore the Rockies is dedicated to educating Colorado voters about Polis’ harmful policies and poor leadership that has damaged our wonderful state.”
Formed on Aug. 3, Restore the Rockies drew widespread criticism for calling itself “the best way to put lead on the target” in a video the group released when it launched. The Colorado Democrats and Attorney General Phil Weiser condemned what Weiser described as “dangerous and disturbing rhetoric” and called for the group to take down the video. The group appears to have replaced its original video with an edited version that doesn’t include the phrase.
According to campaign finance reports, the committee raised $57,500 through Aug. 31, with $50,000 of its contributions coming from George H. Solich, the owner of Denver-based oil and gas company Northpoint Energy LLC.
The committee said in an email that it’s spending “low six-figures” to air the ad during the game on cable channels in the Denver market and on broadcast in the rest of the state. The committee plans to run TV and radio versions of the ad in coming weeks.
The new spot appears to be the first widely aired anti-Polis ad this cycle. Ganahl’s campaign has yet to reserve air time.
Polis, a wealthy tech entrepreneur and former five-term congressman who is largely self-financing his campaign, went up last week with a statewide TV ad touting cost-saving measures under his administration, part of a $3.4 million buy. The Polis campaign’s ad is scheduled to air during Monday night’s football game, a spokeswoman for the Democrat’s campaign told Colorado Politics.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include comments from the Polis campaign and Restore the Rockies.