The GOP group the Senate Leadership Fund, which is close to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, announced on Friday that it would spend an additional $21 million:
• IN-Sen: Spending an additional $4.5 million, bringing total planned spending to $8.5 million
• MO-Sen: Spending an additional $5.3 million, bringing total planned spending to $7.8 million
• NC-Sen: Spending an additional $900,000, bringing total planned spending to $9 million
• NH-Sen: Spending an additional $7 million, bringing total planned spending to $22.8 million
• NV-Sen: Spending an additional $2.3 million, bringing total planned spending to $8.3 million
• PA-Sen: Spending an additional $1 million, bringing total planned spending to $7.5 million
SLF is also the latest group to slash their spending in the Ohio Senate race, where polls constantly show Republican Sen. Rob Portman ahead. According to the Washington Post, the organization has cut nearly $7 million from this contest, and they plan to just spend $1.2 million now. SLF has also not added any money to Florida, where they still plan to spend $10.8 million to help Sen. Marco Rubio.
Only a few weeks ago, there was little outside spending in Missouri on either side. That’s very much changed, and the SLF’s extra $5.3 million is only the latest sign that, despite the Show Me State’s red hue, Republican Sen. Roy Blunt is in a tough race with Democrat Jason Kander.
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It’s also worth noting where the SLF isn’t sending their extra millions. The group is not dropping anything to help Sen. Mark Kirk in Illinois or Sen. Ron Johnson in Wisconsin, the two most vulnerable Senate Republicans in the nation. While the SLF’s allies at the NRSC are reportedly about to spend $750,000 for Kirk to show they believe he can win, the SLF doesn’t appear to be buying it.
The SLF is also not dropping anything in Arizona, though that’s actually good news for John McCain. Polling has been infrequent here, but recent polls show McCain in strong shape. National Democrats hoped that Ann Kirkpatrick could unseat the longtime senator, but they never behaved like this was a top-tier contest. The DSCC and their allies at Senate Majority PAC left Arizona off their initial fall reservations list, and while they’ve since diverted money to Missouri and North Carolina, they still haven’t committed resources to help Kirkpatrick. Early voting, which is popular in Arizona, begins on Oct. 12, and both parties’ decision to leave this race alone indicates that they think McCain is in good shape.
The SLF also isn’t sending any money to help Sen. Chuck Grassley in Iowa, which is not remotely surprising. While Democrats were happy when Patty Judge entered the race in March, no major outside groups have made any reservations in the Hawkeye State, and polls look very good for the incumbent.