The Jeb Bush campaign in Iowa is shifting money away from TV ad buys and into ground staff. We have seen evidence that success through TV ads is hard to come by in Iowa. The ground team in the state will be boosted from 11 to 20 staffers making personal contact with voters. Bush is following a similar trend in other early states as well -- shifting away from ad buys and bringing in more staffers.

Mediaite made a list of the 25 most influential people in political news media for 2015. Top of the list is Roger Ailes, the head of media giant Fox News that dominates cable viewership. In second comes Chuck Todd of NBC’s “Meet the Press.” CNN’s Jeff Zucker came in third, having steered CNN past MSNBC in ratings, putting them comfortably in second after Fox. Rachel Maddow and Megyn Kelly were the highest-ranked women at nine and 10 on the list.

The Ted Cruz campaign announced in a memo that it raised close to $20 million in the fourth quarter of 2015. The campaign now has the most cash on hand of any GOP candidate. The memo also stated that the total amount raised in 2015 will surpass $45 million, a strong showing from a candidate who started the cycle in the midst of the crowded GOP pack.

Iowans had a tough time getting to a Martin O’Malley rally on Monday during a snowstorm. The campaign almost cancelled, but decided eventually to press on. Only one single attendee was there as an undecided Democrat. O’Malley’s tough time in the polls won’t be eased following the dismal showing at the campaign stop.

During the most recent Republican debate, Spot Trender surveyed voter reactions to a “House of Cards” commercial that ran like a fictional Frank Underwood for president ad, versus Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio spots. The results were interesting to say the least, underscoring the generally negative reaction to political TV ads this cycle.

The Donald Trump campaign is planning a TV ad buy in Iowa that could cost upwards of $2 million a week. He trails Sen. Ted Cruz in Iowa, who has spent little on TV advertising while focusing intensely on campaigning in the state. Trump has so far spent virtually nothing on TV ads, keeping $25 million set aside for TV in the third quarter of 2015 completely intact.

Donald Trump is the runaway favorite in the GOP New Hampshire primary as we move into the new year, but Gov. Chris Christie has been able enter the mix for second spot. Trailing Marco Rubio by a point or two and virtually tied with Ted Cruz, Christie’s intense focus on New Hampshire has steadily paid off. The New Jersey governor plans his 10th TV commercial in the first-in-the-nation primary. 

According to a Gallup survey, Americans named President Barack Obama their most-admired man in the world for 2015. He realized 17% of the vote. Donald Trump tied for second with another very popular personality, Pope Francis. They both earned 5% of the vote. On the women’s side, Hillary Clinton won the spot as most-admired, followed by Malala Yousafzai, Oprah Winfrey and first lady Michelle Obama.

Following news that former President Bill Clinton is about to hit the campaign trail in support of his wife's presidential aspirations, Donald Trump quickly went on the offensive. He wrote in a tweet that Bill Clinton has “demonstrated a penchant for sexism.” With the primaries quickly closing in, Republican contenders will try to show they are the best candidate to beat Hillary Clinton.

Leading up to the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 9, the Jeb Bush campaign and a supporting super-PAC will inundate the airwaves on New Hampshire and Boston stations. This follows their strategy of pouring money into TV ads -- over $35 million so far -- though with little to show for it in the polls.