The vast gap between Democrats and Republicans in soft campaign spending speaks not only to the dispirited state of Democratic donors, but also to the party's conflicted reaction to the Supreme
Court's loosening of campaign finance rules, which was strongly denounced by President Obama.
Aside from organized labor and Patriot Majority -- a PAC backing Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid in Nevada -- Commonsense Ten is the only significant independent operation running ads for Senate Democrats. Nervous Democratic operatives are hoping it will soon extend its reach.
Independent groups backing Republican candidates have run $34.5 million worth of television and radio ads on Senate races, while pro-Democratic groups have run only $4.2 million in such spots,
according to Democratic ad tracking. Who is behind all the money is murky, as some groups operating as nonprofits do not have to disclose their donors.
advertisement
advertisement
Read the whole story at Los Angeles Times »