Daily Ad Track
The news on the TV advertising front today has more to do with resource strategy rather than content. As time runs out to book TV reservations, what is most interesting today is where committees and super PACs are spending, rather than the actual ads.
Here is what cut through the clutter:
Colorado 3
This new spot from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is not the most remarkable ad, but the fact that it is exists is news. It goes negative on Rep. Scott Tipton (R), in support of former state House Minority Leader Sal Pace’s (D) effort to unseat him. The Denver TV market is feeding three different House races: the 7th, the 6th and this one. As a result, spotting a triage move in Colorado has proven especially difficult, because no money is likely to be pulled. A House committee can quietly change the ad lineup from one district to the other without a media buyer spotting a dramatic pullout.
Republican sources in Colorado and in Washington have predicted that if Democrats go into triage in Colorado, the 3rd would be the first race in which they would cut bait. But here we are, in mid-October and Democratic source tracking media buys said that the DCCC is putting $400,000 behind this spot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpLEl01Hkc4
Wisconsin Senate
All across the country, Republicans are running ads about reducing government spending. Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) is courting seniors with a new spot that touts his work as Health and Human Services secretary that helped push through Medicare Part D legislation in 2003.
The Thompson camp did not immediately respond to a request for buy information. Thompson is in a Tossup race with Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc3NrPXlsWY&feature=plcp
Arizona Senate
Rep. Jeff Flake (R) has been under assault from Democrats over past votes on veterans’ issues. In response, his campaign has gone up with an ad featuring a veteran defending his honor. This is a statewide broadcast and cable buy. Flake is in a Tossup race against former Surgeon General Richard Carmona (D).
Missouri Senate
We’ve seen in previous ads montages of Rep. Todd Akin’s (R) greatest hits of controversial statements, but the last five seconds of this ad from Majority PAC is effective. Majority PAC is a super PAC supporting Democratic Senate candidates. Akin faces Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) in November.
Big Buys
The Club for Growth is upping its buy totals in Indiana and Arizona. The conservative group is putting $900,000 behind Flake’s Arizona Senate bid and $600,000 to support Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock. Both are Tossup races.
House Majority PAC, a group supporting Democratic House candidates, released new ads in Indiana’s 2nd, Colorado’s 6th, Michigan’s 1st and California’s 7th as part of a previously announced media buy.
Majority PAC announced this morning a new, $8.4 million blitz of ads targeting races in Arizona, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Virginia, Ohio, Connecticut and Nevada. The Missouri ad listed above is part of this new rollout.