American Crossroads’ $70 Million Senate Blitz
by David M. Drucker and Shira Toeplitz, Roll Call Staff, rollcall.com -- July 11, 2012,
American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS spent a total of $70 million during the 2010 cycle, including $50 million on Senate races and $20 million on House contests. This year, their proposed $70 million expenditure on the Senate represents less than a quarter of a planned $300 million budget that includes a heavy focus on the presidential race and limited investment in House races. Last cycle, the National Republican Senatorial Committee spent about $105 million.
[...]
Crossroads officials declined to reveal their race-by-race messaging strategy or to provide an exact road map for their planned Senate race spending.
But they said clues could be found in the 10 battleground states that they have already invested in: Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio and Virginia. The super PAC’s fall reservations include: $6.2 million in Florida by American Crossroads. Crossroads GPS has reserved $2.3 million in Missouri, $1.8 million in Nevada, $706,000 in North Dakota, $6.7 million in Ohio and $5.7 million in Virginia.
[...]
Ad time reserved for spots like these:
Crossroads GPS: "Number One" MT
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"Tester votes with Barack Obama -- 95% of the time."
Gasp!
If only someone could be a "fly on the wall" at one of those Crossroads planning meetings ...
funny thing -- someone was:
Forget Mitt Romney. Karl Rove's Eyes Are on the Senate
by Sheelah Kolhatkar, Bloomberg, businessweek.com -- Sep 06, 2012
[...]
This rare look at the mechanics of fundraising and electoral strategy was not intended for reporters. I was invited as the guest of a financier who is a significant Republican donor. The financier knew I was a journalist. At no point was I presented with, nor did I agree to, restrictions regarding the information I heard. [...]
American Crossroads Chief Executive Officer Steven Law then introduced some of the super PAC’s staff, kiddingly referring to general counsel Tom Josefiak as “the guy who keeps us from ever having to wear orange jumpsuits.” Then it was Rove’s turn. The strategist presented a detailed analysis of the most competitive Senate contests and his plan for winning them. Rove said his total budget was $300 million, with $200 million intended for the presidential race, $70 million for the Senate, and $32 million for the House. “We should sink Todd Akin,” [... Karl goes on to insinuate a violent solution, all in jest of course.]
The Republicans need four seats to gain a Senate majority, Rove continued. He felt “really good” about Nebraska and was optimistic about North Dakota, even though Democrats have a strong candidate in former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp. In Wisconsin, former Governor Tommy Thompson “has an excellent shot to win—he has a quirky, cross-party appeal.” Virginia is going to be tight. Of those, Rove declared, “we can win three.”
New Mexico, Hawaii, and Connecticut are “longer shots,” Rove went on, but “I think we’ve got a shot to take at least one of those three.”
If Missouri doesn’t work out, Rove identified Montana, where Republican Representative Denny Rehberg is attempting to unseat Democrat Jon Tester, as “our best other shot,” and Florida, where Representative Connie Mack is trying to push out longtime Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson, as “a good shot.”
[... Rove goes on to put Ohio on his target list too.]
Crossroads GPS: "Football" OH
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"Voting with Obama -- 95% of the time -- that's going to cost taxpayers $500 Billion in New Taxes."
CrossroadsGPSChannel
Gasp! They're Back! The Crossroads GPS Cookie-cutter Ads -- simply insert candidates name here.
If only we knew what they were planning ... maybe we could actually keep the Senate, and win back the House -- it should be our turn people, to end the GOP Gridlock. If only knew where to invest our time and money.
If only there were a Boca Raton fly-on-the-wall ... down at the Crossroads GPS ...