American Crossroads Targets Murray
The conservative group American Crossroads has re-upped its media buys in 6 key Senate races and has ventured into the Washington Senate contest for the first time, according to FEC filings.
In sum, American Crossroads and its nonprofit affiliate Crossroads GPS have spent another $3M on the Senate races in Florida, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Washington.
The spending is entirely on airing new commercials with the exception of Florida, where American Crossroads appears to be sending $247K of direct mail in support of former House Speaker Marco Rubio (R).
The spending in Washington by Crossroads GPS shows Republicans still believe Sen. Patty Murray (D) is vulnerable. Recent polling has suggested that Murray is leading Republican challenger Dino Rossi, however, and the race has become a priority for Democrats as they try to build a firewall to prevent the GOP from winning a Senate majority this fall.
A full breakdown of the buys, from The Hotline's Independent Expenditure tracker, is after the jump.
American Crossroads
FL SEN - In support of Rubio
PRINT-$165K
PRINT-$82K
CO SEN - Opposing Sen. Michael Bennet (D)
MEDIA BUY-$724K
IL SEN - Opposing Alexi Giannoulias (D)
MEDIA BUY-$618K
NV SEN - Opposing Sen. Harry Reid (D)
MEDIA BUY- $346K
Crossroads GPS
PA SEN - Opposing Rep. Joe Sestak (D)
MEDIA BUY-$267K
WA SEN - Opposing Sen. Patty Murray (D)
MEDIA BUY-$492K
MEDIA PRODUCTION-$15K
MEDIA BUY-$800
MO SEN - Opposing Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D)
MEDIA BUY- $384K
MEDIA PRODUCTION- $18K
Recent polling shows a tight race in WA. Not to mention the fact that the DSCC and NRSC have already committed to spending $4.5 million in Murray's Senate race. So there's really no debate as to whether she's vulnerable, only whether she actually loses.