The House Republicans’ super PAC is currently booking $125,000,000 in TV advertising reservations in approximately 50 media markets across the country. This large down payment for their bid to win the majority.
This round is for TV and digital bookings at Congressional Leadership Fund. The initial purchase is greater than what the super PAC spent on these ads during the 2020 election cycle.
This group will spend more on Democrats than on Republican incumbents.
President of CLF Dan Conston stated that “Our buy has been overwhelmingly oriented towards offense,” and pointed out that $111million from an ad reservation would be used to flip Democratic-held seats.
He stated, “there were more to come.”
While redistricting reduced the number of competitive House seats, Republicans promised to make 2022 an offensive battleground. Ad reservations indicate that CLF is willing to spend millions to support this claim.
The district core is where CLF placed its longest and most important buys. It also houses the Washington seats held in the past by Abigail Spanberger (D.Va.).
Conston stated, “In the decisive Blockbuster Race we’re setting an indication that states that we are here for a duration and with large figures.”
Abby Curran Horrell was the executive director.
These Democratic bookings show a political climate where many long-standing Democratic seats may be at risk of becoming uncompetitive in an electoral year. This includes Cuellar’s, Texas, Rep. Sanford Bishop’s, Georgia, and an Eastern North Carolina spot left vacant by G.K. Butterfield, a Democratic Rep.
CLF has the highest reservations in the most crowded media market of the midterms, as well as, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.).
House Republicans are open-minded to working with large markets. CLF has a $4.4 million reservation in Denver that could be used to flip a new district or one that was vacant from Ed Perlmutter (retired Democratic Rep.). A $4 million Detroit purchase can pressure Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin to flip the seat John James is running for. John James is a top GOP recruit.
CLF will spend $6 million in San Antonio and Brownsville, to help Republicans win Latino votes. This is part of Republicans’ efforts for Latino voters.
CLF’s November reservation will be zeroed in on the GOP’s top targets in 2022. These include Reps. Cindy Axne, Marcy Kaptur and Matt Cartwright, Jared Golden, and $2.5 million each for Rep. Tom Malinowski (D–N.J.), and $2.3 million each for Rep. Elaine Luria.
“I believe they believe they have already lost the majority.”
Dan Conston is President of the Congressional Leadership Fund
CLF received $723,000 in two Wisconsin markets. This is a sign that they are confident in their ability to flip the Trump-won seat currently held by retired Democratic Rep. Ron Kind.
This group refused time to reserve the Florida seats currently held by Charlie Crist and Stephanie Murphy. In Iowa, two seats held by Republican Reps Ashley Hinson (R-IA) are hotly contested each year.
Conston stated that CLF did not have any defensive reservations about the protection of the 10 Republicans who were elected to the 2020 seats.
This includes a significant amount in California for Reps. David Valadao and Young Kim, Mike Garcia, and Michelle Steel; $2.2million to Rep. Peter Meijer, Michigan; $1.3million each for Rep. Steve Chabot (Ohio) and Rep. Don Bacon (Nebraska); as high as $1.6million to GOP Rep. Yvette Scherrell of New Mexico.
CLF originally had planned to spend $2.3 million on cable in New York City to aid Nicole Malliotakis. It changed its mind following Wednesday’s decision by the high court. It invalidated the map that would have made Nicole Malliotakis’ district one. Biden won by double-digits. But it didn’t stop purchases meant to target Reps. Antonio Delgado and Sean Patrick Maloney (current Chair of House Democrats campaign arm).
The House Republicans’ fundraising boom is a reason the ad buy was made. The PAC ended March with $93 million in its bank. This was three times more than it had at this point in 2020.
Conston said that Democrats’ reservations only increase their optimism.
Conston believes that they have lost most of their supporters. They view the same numbers that we do that make their incumbents more vulnerable than they care for and show that the president is an anchor.
