Highlights from Wednesday’s independent expenditures:
• I hope you weren’t gullible enough to buy the NRCC disinformation campaign that they were abandoning the campaigns of Curt Weldon (PA-07) and Joy Padgett (OH-18). On the contrary, they haven’t given up. The NRCC spent nearly $650,000 smearing Joe Sestak and $230,000 attacking Zack Space today. Does that sound like “retreat” to you?
• Notable DCCC buys: $673k in AZ-05, both attacking Hayworth and supporting Harry Mitchell; $100k in CA-11 supporting McNerney and attacking Pombo; $530k in CO-07 supporting Ed Perlmutter and attacking Rick O’Donnell (we actually figured this one was locked up); $500k in CT-02 against Rob Simmons and for Joe Courtney; $472k in CT-05 against Nancy Johnson and for Chris Murphy; $628k in FL-22 attacking Clay Shaw; $1.3 million in IL-06 against Peter Roskam and for Tammy Duckworth (holy hell); $550k against David McSweeney in IL-08; $1.2 million in IN-09 against Mike Sodrel and for Baron Hill; $320k for KY-03 against Ann Northup; $720k in KY-04 against Geoff Davis; $123k in MN-01 for Tim Walz and against Gil Gutknecht; $400k in MN-06 against Michele Bachmann; $110k in NE-03 against Adrian Smith; $426k in NM-01 against Heather Wilson; $308k in NV-03 against Jon Porter and for Tessa Hafen; $426k in NY-24 for Mike Arcuri and against Raymond Meier; $226k in NY-26 against NRCC Chair Tom Reynolds; $375k in OH-01 against Steve Chabot; $366k in OH-15 against Deborah Pryce; $640k in OH-18 against Joy Padgett; $250k in PA-04 against Melissa Hart and for Jason Altmire; $276k in VA-02 against Thelma Drake; $124k in WA-05 against Cathy McMorris; $640k in WA-08 against Dave Reichert.
• The NRCC has followed the DCCC into KS-02. As a response to the surprise $650,000 dropped by the DCCC in this district earlier this week, they’ve placed a $220k ad buy against Boyda, which is a signal that the DCCC’s incursion was worth it. Similarly, following the DCCC’s recent expansion into KY-03 on behalf of John Yarmuth, the NRCC has put up $200k into this district today. They’re also putting up $350k attacking Dan Maffei in NY-25.
• ID-01: The Club For Growth is pumping an emergency $260k into this district to defend their golden boy, Bill “Brain Fade” Sali, who just may prove to be the only unelectable Republican in Idaho.
New Mexico’s race should reflect Heather Wilson, not Heather Smith.
Millions of DCCC dollars spread all over the country, and not a dime for Michigan…
When Tony Trupiano wins in MI-11 next Tuesday, and Rahm Emmanuel calls to congratulate him, I hope Tony hangs up on him mid-platitude.