Faced with an extremely tough playing field and environment, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has designated Sam Van Voorhis to direct its independent expenditure effort this year.

Van Voorhis, a direct-mail consultant with NextWave Communications, will handle uncoordinated committee spending on TV ads, direct mail, phone banks and polling. He will oversee work done by polling firms Public Opinion Strategies and the Tarrance Group and by media firms McAuliffe Message Media and Weeks & Co.

As previously reported, Jim Jordan is handling the IE duties for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Jordan has held multiple roles at the DSCC over the years, including executive director, political director and communications director, and he managed Sen. John Kerry’s (D-Mass.) 2004 presidential campaign early in the race.

On the House side, Clinton Key and Evan Kozlow are directing the National Republican Congressional Committee’s IE effort. Key is the former executive director of the Republican Governors Association and former aide to Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating (R). Kozlow most recently managed Tom Kean Jr.’s (R) Senate bid in New Jersey last cycle and previously managed races for two other New Jersey Republicans: Rep. Scott Garrett and gubernatorial candidate Bret Schundler.

Jon Vogel is handling the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee IE. He was the DCCC’s political director this cycle before moving over to the other side of the wall. Vogel is a former finance director for New York Democrats Rep. Steve Israel and former Rep. Mike Forbes, and last cycle was the DCCC’s Northeast regional political director.