You know how we just noted with much fanfare that the NRCC is pulling their ads out of the 6th? Well, turns out now is not time for celebration because they, and the rest of the GOP, is refocusing just south of the 6th in the 3rd. In other words, the GOP is throwing all their resources at the 3rd in order to buy this race.
[UPDATE 2: The MN GOP buy is not just $110K, it’s $250K. And now that I think about it, where is all the money Ramstad has in his campaign coffers? To the best of my knowledge he has around a half million that he can’t do much with now, where’s that going? Maybe with all this money Paulsen can afford to buy his first positive ad…]
Polinaut just broke the news that the MN GOP is buying $110K $250K in ads next week for Erik Paulsen… $110,000 $250,000!! But wait, it gets worse, the NRCC has 5 buys (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) for over $390K from yesterday through 28th… $390,375!!!!! But you’re saying, “well, at least they’re stopping shy of election day.” Hold on, it gets worse! Erik Paulsen’s campaign itself is chipping in a cool $275K for ad buys up to November 4th… $275,000!!! Does your head hurt yet? Just wait, it gets worse! Between the 28th and the 4th of November, the RNCC, hold your breath for this one, is spending $305K over 5 different buys… $305,225!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (my head is exploding).
Without even factoring in the radio buys that the GOP and other Republican interest groups are running in the 3rd as we speak, the above brings the total for GOP major-player (sate party, NRCC, and Paulsen) ad buys to WELL over $1,000,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Republicans are trying to buy this race from us. They’ve seen Madia working his butt off and they’ve been unable to sell Erik Paulsen on his record, so they’ve turned to the last ditch option the GOP always turns to: break out the big-bucks and attack, attack, attack! They’ve said he isn’t “one of us” (and we all know what they means), they’ve called him a traitor because of his “Discipline” ad, and Erik Paulsen even calls him a liar in all his TV ads (which, I might add, got a D rating by KSTP).
This race is in our grasp, but we can’t lie down and let the GOP swoop in and steal this one from us so close to the finish line. Ashwin is being out-spent in this race now and he needs our help. Help Ash fight back! Help us turn this red district blue! Help us beat these faceless GOP forces! Donate. If there was ever a time, it’s now.
Added by Sean: I bumped this over Zack’s post because it deserves to be.
Added by Matt: I bumped this over Aaron’s post about the new Franken ads (they are really awesome though).
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Matt -
I understand you are in favor of Democrats, but come on. The Democrats are going to far outspend the Republicans in this race. Are they trying to BUY the race?
Update 6: My head is exploding because Obama is buying the Presidential race!!! Does anybody care? I didn’t think so. As we draw closer and closer to the election, this blog is becoming less and less of an interesting read.
Funny how back in the bad old days of 2000 and 2004 when the Republicans had all the money, they never bitched about “buying an election,” they just went out and did it. Goose meet gander.
Seriously, Madia has this thing wrapped up, we need to use our resources wisely, and make this wave count. Do you honestly think there is any chance of Madia loosing? He already has tons of cash, and is ahead in the latest polls.
Now that we have the Madia and Tinklenberg seats won, it is time to focus our money and resources on getting a clean sweep. We need to give our time and money to Sarvi. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we must take full advantage of it. We need to use our cash where it can really make a difference.
Ew and come on:
As far as I’m concerned (not speaking for the purveyors of the blog) you two can take a long walk off a short pier.
We should get used to $2 million + races (per side) in CD3. If Paulsen wins, the Democrats will see how close they were able to get, and this will immediately be on a Red-to-Blue list for 2010. If Madia wins, the GOP will realize that they still have a very strong based in the 3rd, and it is worth pouring resources in to get this back.
I don’t see this seat, regardless of who wins, being a “safe” seat until 2014 at the earliest, and that doesn’t even account for the complexities that the inevitable 2010 redistricting will add. Lots of scenarios could have CD3 get blurry with either CD6 or CD2.
Any incumbent will obviously have an early money advantage, but 2 years isn’t far away and this seat will pretty much be in play again come November 6. There is a good bench on either side — Andy Lugar, Geoff Michel, Melissa Hortmann, Kurt Zellers, John Berns.
I’m not saying I like it, but this is just the beginning of high money races in CD3.
DTM, good points. One tangential thought comes to mind after your redistricting comment. Minnesota has a strong possibility of losing one of its eight House seats depending on how the 2010 census goes. Every Minnesotan needs to be counted in 2010. Don’t blow off the next census when it arrives.
To all: sorry, now back to politics!
EW and Come On,
If you are as sick of the influence of money on our local races, support or start looking for groups that support public financing of campaigns. Unless, of course, you are just sick of Democratic money polluting the system. There are lots of like minded people on BOTH sides that are sick of this crap, so do something positive and start talking public financing.
That being said, even if we hate the rules of the game, we play by them until they change.
Thanks, Alec
“There are lots of like minded people on BOTH sides that are sick of this crap, so do something positive and start talking public financing.”
Hmm.. Public financing… .I remember hearing something about that being available to the Presidential candidates.
Anyway, my point wasn’t that I care at all about how much money is spent in an election, my point was that this blog going crazy about money being poured into CD3 is a bit of a puzzler. As far a spending goes, let em rip. It’s good for the economy.
Funny how GOP’ers were perfectly happy with buying elections and sweeping the floor up when they held the money advantage. Now that Democrats have money, it’s time to change and make everyone run with a fixed dollar amount. Decry overspending if you will but let’s be realistic. It wasn’t an issue with the GOP when they had the money.
Careful DFL Fan, this isn’t over until November 4 at 8:00pm. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done. We’re sitting in a good spot right now, but we still need to work hard and finish this off. We can take this guy, but it’s going to take hard work all the way through election day.
true, Madia has all the momentum in the race, but this district will never be a sure thing for a democratic candidate, even if that candidate, like Madia, perfectly reflects the district. Paulsen is not even liked by his republican colleagues in the MN house, where he was voted out by those colleague from being state house majority leader, they replaced him. He is a politician first and foremost, he help push through the largest cuts to education funding in state history, maybe because his kids were home schooled, until he decided to run for national office. His ads have been nasty and unfounded in their attacks, old GOP tactics are not working, people have wised up and seen through the crap GOP’ers throw, they have been good at winning elections and spinning truth, but people know they can not govern.
Lets work hard and turn all 8 of our congressional seats BLUE!
It is very interesting how the frog in the pot is being played out for the 2008 election. Why don’t people think for themselves instead of listening to the media. Is there anyone out there who can think on their own. without being swayed by the liberal media and even the Democratic candidate and all of you here who are willing to vote for killing more babies. Yes, it is murdered no matter how you word it. There have been 50 million babies murdered. There will be an accountability from each and every person who supports this terrible act. Shame on all of you who are not wise enough to search out the facts.