Welcome back to CBMG. Independent political spending groups reported the highest single day disclosure amount that we’ve ever covered on this blog. Pro-Democratic groups significantly outspent their pro-Republican counterparts, the two premier Super PACs supporting Mitt Romney and President Obama traded heavy cash-laden blows and big time cash flowed into elections for the upper and lower houses of Congress.
The Roundup: $28 million (!) disclosed by 50 organizations seeking to influence over 50 federal elections
The Big Spender: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee disclosed over $7.3 million in spending for TV ads opposing Republican candidates for the Senate. Whilst the DSCC spread their cash generously around to each highly contested Senate elections in Wisconsin, Virginia, Florida, Montana and Ohio. Mitt Romney’s most certainly not coordinated Super PAC, Restore our Future, and President Obama’s equally disengaged attack PAC, Priorities USA Action, reported $9.9 million in spending on Thursday. ROF outspent PUA by $1.8 million.
Obama vs. Romney: President Obama was targeted by over $8.1 million with $7 million of the total spent in opposition. Mitt Romney weathered a - relatively - significant amount of spending too; $4.1 million opposed and just $16K in support.
Congressional Cabbage: In this new section we will highlight the individual congressional candidates who have been the subject of the most spending. Republican Congresswoman Judy Biggert from the 13th District in Chicago, running for election in the newly redrawn 11th District against Democratic Congressman Bill Foster, from the 14th District, was targeted by $818K - all in opposition. Groups behind the cash were House Majority PAC (over $810K) and SEIU COPE ($3.3K)
Republican Senate hopeful in Virginia, George Allen, was targeted by over $3 million in opposition spending. It was a group effort for the pro-Democrat groups focused on the Senate contest in Virginia The DSCC ($1.4MM), American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees People group ($740K), SEIU COPE ($690K), Majority PAC ($177K) and Planned Parenthood Votes ($9K) put up the cash against Allen.
The Hotspot: Predictably, elections in Virginia and Illinois attracted the most outside cash on Thursday. Independent political spenders dropped nearly $3.1 million in the Old Dominion and over $2.5 million in the Land of Lincoln.
The High Striker: The Democrats. Pro-Democratic groups disclosed over $20.1 million on Thursday, compared to just $8.5 million for the pro-Republicans. For every dollar spent by the Reps, the Dems dropped $2.36. Even though there is not a huge disparity in the spending ratio, the overall amount of cash disclosed by pro-Democratic groups is of a magnitude usually reserved for their pro-Republican equivalents.
For the detail, check the complete summary table:
