For the first time, spending on Senate races is eclipsing spending in the presidential contest.
With five weeks to go before Election Day, candidates, parties and outside groups have reserved or purchased $561 million in television time across 27 states, according to sources tracking the advertising market.
As Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump struggles to raise money and attract outside allies, the fight for control of the Senate is proving more costly than the presidential race, a first in recent history. The two presidential campaigns and their outside affiliates have reserved or spent a relatively paltry $346 million on television advertising. […]
Democrats and Republicans are spending the lion’s share of their money in eight states that will decide whether Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) or Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is the next majority leader. Together, those eight states — New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nevada, Florida, North Carolina, Missouri and Indiana — account for $487 million in television spending.
Part of the lopsidedness in spending is that the Trump campaign and outside Republican groups—who just can't stomach him—aren't spending much. Trump is relying on mostly earned media, since cameras will always show up to broadcast the train wreck, and he's attracted little outside spending. Republican groups are more interested in trying to keep the backstop of a Senate majority than they are trusting in Trump to a) win this election, or b) follow their will if by some chance he could get elected.
The big spending is in New Hampshire, where Republican Kelly Ayotte keeps shooting herself in the foot over Trump. A cool $100 million has been spent on New Hampshire's beleaguered citizens. Pennsylvania isn't far behind, at $90 million. In Nevada, the Koch brothers have made seizing Harry Reid's seat a personal mission, and have contributed millions to the $65 million spent there.
So, yeah, while the presidential race is sucking most of the oxygen out of the room, the Senate is where the money is going and for very good reason. It's that important, not the least because the next Supreme Court largely depends on who's in leadership there.
Can you chip in $3 to each of these candidates to end Mitch McConnell's Senate leadership?
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