Putting Dems on defense in contest they thought they had edge in
Image via Wikipedia...There is nothing really secret about this money, but it probably is a good excuse for Democrats who are already trying to explain potential losses. But the Times has already disclosed who most of the contributors are in recent days.
A vivid picture of how outside groups are helping Republicans across the country can be found here in central Florida. The incumbent Democrat, Representative Suzanne M. Kosmas, had a nearly four-to-one fund-raising advantage over her Republican challenger, State Representative Sandy Adams, at the end of September.
Ms. Adams, low on cash, has not run a single campaign commercial. But a host of outside groups have swept in to swamp Ms. Kosmas with attack ads, helping establish Ms. Adams as the favorite without her having to spend on television.
Many of the conservative groups say they have been trading information through weekly strategy sessions and regular conference calls. They have divided up races to avoid duplication, the groups say, and to ensure that their money is spread around to put Democrats on the defensive in as many districts and states as possible — and, more important, lock in whatever gains they have delivered for the Republicans so far.
“We carpet-bombed for two months in 82 races, now it’s sniper time,” said Rob Collins, president of American Action Network, which is one of the leading Republican groups this campaign season and whose chief executive is Norm Coleman, the former senator from Minnesota. “You’re looking at the battle field and saying, ‘Where can we marginally push — where can we close a few places out?’ ”
Democrats said the conservative groups were upending some of their best-laid plans in several important races, like here in Florida, especially those in which they had been counting on the financial advantages their candidates had over lesser-financed Republicans at the beginning of the general election.
Filings with the Federal Election Commission over the weekend show that one Republican group, American Future Fund, has purchased more television advertisements attacking Representative Bruce Braley, Democrat of Iowa, who was expecting an easier path to re-election. Another group, the 60 Plus Association, reported spending more than $150,000 against Representative Solomon P. Ortiz, Democrat of Texas, who has been considered a likely victor in November against his cash-short challenger, Blake Farenthold.
“As you know, they have been dumping tens of millions of dollars of secret money into these campaigns,” Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in an interview. “I would say the outside groups have shuffled the deck in a number of these races.”
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Democrats would be doing the same thing if their agenda had not repulsed voters to the point that people like Soros don't want to waste money on them this year.
I have seen some reports that give Farenthold a good shot against Ortiz in South Texas. Ortiz has also alleged sent earmark money to a company that owes him money because of a buyout. It should give the ad guys something to work with. I would also like to see some of the outside money go to support Dr. Donna Campbell who has run a good race against Lloyd Doggett who deserves to get beat for what he did on education spending here in Texas. This is another race that has been off the radar screen, but is probably much closer than expected. The Conseco vs. Rodriguez race is another potential GOP pickup in Texas.
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