Democrats also have reserved advertising time for two Ohio seats where Republicans intend to retire, and two more in New Mexico. Other targets where GOP lawmakers are stepping down are in Arizona, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Virginia.
Erik Paulsen has raised an impressive ammount of money, but with the DCCC currently holding a 10-1 cash on hand advantage over its Republican counterpart, Ashwin Madia is going to have all the reasources he needs to wage a competitive race.
This is undoubtedly to keep the ground fertile for a stronger challenger to Paulsen. But I guess that all depends on how well the DCCC’s recruitment of a primary challenger to Madia will be. A lot of very quiet action this weekend. Should be an interesting couple days before the 15th.
Hey Zach,
I thought according to you guys that the DCCC would be reserving air time for MN CD’s 2 and 6 as well???
Because of course the challengers raising 150k will be carried to the finish line by the Big Boys in DC:) Still wanna peddle that non-sense??? Or was it more of your wishful thinking? 
Hey Gipper
Its July. There is still PLENTY of time for the DCCC to get into the 2nd and the 6th. But by all means, keep you head buried in the sand.
not only did they reserve air time.
They reserved 1.4 million dollars of it!
Swing State Project has the numbers
http://www.swingstateproject.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2475
Very good news.
Also Gipper. The DCCC overbought in many defense districts and when we get a more solid hold on them that time isn’t bought and so the DCCC will spend it elsewhere. Plus they have 12 million more dollars in the bank and are still raising tons of money. There is about 10 more districts on the DCCC’s Red to Blue list that have not gotten ad buys and they will likely take 10 million or so but then the DCCC will likely put money into the most promising of the Emerging Races. Looking at the list I only see a few that make more sense then MN-02 and MN-06.
Ah, ArmChairOperative, you’ve been a negative all during the primary about Ash and your post doesn’t surprise me. How sad that you can’t move on…..
I find it amusing that ArmchairFool thinks that the DCCC wants and/or is trying to recruit a primary challenger for Madia. In case you haven’t noticed, the DCCC has added Madia to its “Red to Blue” program and is working hard to help him raise a lot of money.
Sort of counterproductive if we’re to believe your nonsensical delusions, isn’t it?
The only sad thing here is the loss of a potential pick up for dems. I always know I’ve hit a nerve when you pipe up, since you’re Madia’s biggest apologist. His campaign’s inability to report his numbers yet shows that he’s hiding the dismal amount of money he raised for this race. Of course you and the rest of his sycophants will immediately defend this. Madia is going to lose because he doesn’t know how to compete.
” His campaign’s inability to report his numbers yet shows that he’s hiding the dismal amount of money he raised for this race.”
Team Madia did just fine.
“Madia is going to lose because he doesn’t know how to compete.”
Yeah, “right.” Go with that one. This campaign is doin’ fine, despite what you think.
Ashwin will have a huge financial advantage. Even if he’s a few hundred
thousand behind Paulsen in COH, the DCCC will outspend the RCCC by
at least a $1 million. That means this is Ash’s to lose. He probably wins
55% to 45%.
Democrat…………I agree that Ash is the favorite and will likely win……….the DCCC WILL spend money there!
Zach,
After reading your last comment I’ll choose not to insult your intelligence by thinking that you actually believe what you just said! Pay attention, and try to remain objective in the hope that you’ll learn something. Last election……Patty Wetterling and her allies (DCCC, friendly lobbying groups, etc) spent 9.3 million dollars in total to win the 6th………………..They lost by 8 points!!!! This time around they have a lesser known candidate with SUBSTANTIALLY LESS money buttressed by the fact that Bachmann has the advantage of incumbency……….and that would leave most rational politicos to not buy into this poorly peddled notion that the DCCC throws in comparable money!!! But hey, continue to believe your own delusion………..personally I prefer to deal with facts/reality!
Prediction as noted earlier for MN:
Obama
Coleman
Walz
Kline
Madia
McCollum
Ellison
Bachmann
Peterson
Oberstar
I agree that the DCCC’s focus on this district is making Madia stronger. There is also the fact that an organization like the DCCC can campaign negatively against Paulsen, and Madia can claim to keep his hands clean because the ads didn’t technically come from him. It is a luxury that anyone receiving this kind of cash has.
But… does it bother anyone else (and given that this is a lefty-slanted blog, probably not) that Paulsen the candidate is raising more than Madia the candidate, but big, centralized party money will come in and tip the scales? I mean, DCCC money ain’t exactly grassroots funding coming from voters and citizens in the 3rd. DCCC and RNCC cash is the epitome of big money coming from big donors who will never meet the actual candidates, but simply want certain policies pushed through en masse.
It bothers me. Let’s take a different district — the 1st. If Tim Walz is raising mega-cash because he is a respective public servant and people want him to do well in the election, then good for him. What would you all say if the RNCC began pouring cash in this to elevate Brian Davis, especially in a way where the ads didn’t have to come from Brian Davis.
It is the way the system work. Party kingpings can decide races far, far away. And it is a flaw in the system.
“that Paulsen the candidate is raising more than Madia the candidate, but big, centralized party money …”
Kinda like how big, centralized party money was raised by Cheney at a houseparty in Wayzata for Paulsen?
I’d like to know how much that one-time Cheney HouseParty raised for Paulsen.
Big-bucks is a good guess, yes?
In the meantime, Erik Paulsen is hiding in a hole somewhere.
Is he THAT afraid to be in front of the public?
Will he ever get on a podium with Ashwin Madia?
Great to know that Ashwin and Erik have such great amounts of money given to him by people not even from Minnesota. At least we know that Ashwin and Erik will be listening to people that have given that money to run. Who are they? Special interests. If you believe that these guys are going to listen to what Minnesotans have to say then your head is in the sand. They have people that are not from Minnesota that are running their campaigns. I know that is how it is done. But that is politics as usual. We need to change politics as usual and to elect someone that will listen to the people of this district. Everyone is on about Ashwin and Erik but what about David Dillon. I know, I know. He’s an Independence Party guy. Not a major player. Well, the IP has major party status. The IP looks to the future and not the next election. Do you believe that Ashwin and Erik are going to change anything? I doubt it. They will get to Washington and do exactly what their party bosses and those that paid for their election tell them to do. I don’t believe for a second that they will look out for the common person of this district.
Emeraldking, you must not have met Madia or listened to him too much, because he is not a typical politician…he’s a Patriot! Who do you know that enlists in the Marines after he graduates from Law School…certainly not the average candidate that you and others think won’t listen to the people of the 3rd District. He has a mind of his own and does not bow to the party hierarchy, although he listens to them just like the voters of our district. He is a breath of fresh air, and my Republican friends that see and hear him only have one thing to say….”I wish he was in our party”. As for people not from Minnesota running his campaign, that is partially true, but he has many 3rd CD volunteers and more are joining the cause daily because of his message. In addition he has locals that have worked for him from basically day one! I believe that Ashwin Madia absolutely can help change the way our country is going, and he will work tiresly to make that a reality!