Candidate’s latest ad: 30 seconds of waves crashing on the beach

Richard Tisei, who is running for Congress in Massachusetts, has been getting a lot of attention for his campaign ad. But not for what it says. Actually, for what it doesn't say.

The 30-second cable TV spot features Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester at sunset and the sound of gentle waves lapping the shore.

The only narration (aside from the candidate stating at the start that he approves the message) is a woman's voice-over at the end saying, "Aaaah, that was nice."

The text at the bottom of the soothing image explains the meaning behind the Zen-like message: "Because you deserve a break from all the campaign ads."

Unconventional? Certainly. But this is a candidate who bucks the trend. Tisei, a moderate Republican who is challenging Democratic Rep. John Tierney in the 6th District, supports gay marriage and abortion rights, which helps him in the socially liberal state. In fact, he appears to be favored to win the race.

The 50-year-old former minority leader of the Massachusetts Senate has also said he will not sign Grover Norquist's no-tax pledge.

The candidate was endorsed by the Boston Globe, and a Boston Herald columnist pointed out that if he wins, Tisei "would become the first gay congressman who didn't try to hide it to get elected."

None of that is evidenced in the most recent ad, of course. And Tisei himself is not blameless in the attack ad game. The campaign has been a contentious one, with previous ads going negative on both sides.