ICYMI: Senate Democrats plot $79M advertising onslaught [POLITICO]

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 

POLITICO: Senate Democrats plot $79M advertising onslaught 
By Burgess Everett
April 16, 2024

Key points:

• Senate Democrats’ campaign arm is launching a $79 million advertising plan that’s aimed at holding onto the majority this fall.

• The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s spending blueprint includes TV, radio and digital advertising in nine states.

• The committee’s plans include coordinated ad buys with candidates as well as separate radio, TV and digital ad purchases that are known as independent expenditures. Christie Roberts, executive director of the DSCC, said the committee’s strategy “enables the DSCC to communicate with voters in the most effective way and ensures we protect Democrats’ Senate majority.”

• “Senate Republicans’ roster of unvetted, unpopular candidates bring disqualifying personal flaws and toxic policy positions to their races — when general election voters learn about them, they’ll see why they should be nowhere near the U.S. Senate,” Roberts said.

• The campaign arm’s vast investments in the works, more than double the size of the party’s initial spending plan last cycle, reflects the up-for-grabs status of several Senate races and points to even more spending later this year. 

• The DSCC’s biggest new television advertisements are in a trio of presidential swing states: Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. The DSCC will spend more than $11 million to try to keep Michigan’s open seat, $10 million to defend Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin and $8 million aiding Sen. Bob Casey in Pennsylvania.

• Some of the DSCC’s ad buys will cover periods not included in Senate Majority PAC’s reservations.

• In addition, the DSCC is reserving $2 million in radio ads in Montana. 

• The DSCC is also planning seven-figure digital advertisements in Montana, Wisconsin, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Michigan as well as against its top two GOP targets: Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida.

• Democrats’ strategy reflects the changing face of political campaigns: Party committees are increasingly spending on voter turnout and coordinated ad buys with candidates in order to pay better rates.

• Some of the $79 million figure will go toward those coordinated ad buys, according to a DSCC aide.

• All told, this year’s battle for the Senate is shaping up to be the most expensive one ever, and the DSCC aide said the party may spend more money and expand its advertising into additional states as the battle for the chamber shakes out.

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