Dems to blitz the GOP with 25 million ads

Senate Democrats ready $25M ad blitz - Yahoo! News Senate Democrats ready $25M ad blitz By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent2 hours, 44 minutes ago Flush with cash, the Senate Democratic campaign organization has reserved more than $25 million worth of television advertising time for the fall, the bulk of it aimed at toppling Republican incumbents in Ohio, Missouri and Pennsylvania. Additional Democratic targets also include Montana, where Republican Sen. Conrad Burns (news, bio, voting record)' bid for a fourth term is in jeopardy, and Tennessee, where Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has announced plans to retire. At the same time, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has reserved time for advertising in New Jersey and Washington, states that Republicans hope to add to their column to offset any losses elsewhere. Phil Singer, a spokesman at the DSCC, declined to confirm any details. "We've said all along that we're going to run an aggressive campaign to make the case for a new direction in America," he said. So far, Democrats have not yet put down money to buy the advertising they are planning, and plans could easily change, based on changing political circumstances. Still, the planned distribution of advertising money provides a window into the party's strategy for winning the six seats necessary to gain control of the Senate from Republicans this fall. The GOP holds 55 seats. The Democrats have 44, and there is one Democratic-leaning independent. By law, ad campaigns of the size the DSCC is planning must be conducted independent of the campaigns they are designed to help. By signaling their intentions this far in advance, Democrats make it possible for their own candidates to know how much help to expect, making it easier for them to plan their own campaigns. At the same time, the strategy carries a certain amount of risk, since candidates and state party officials begin to count on the help, and can feel abandoned if the DSCC fails to follow through in a close race. The DSCC plans call for spending $7 million on advertising from mid-August through Election Day in Ohio, where GOP Sen. Mike DeWine (news, bio, voting record) faces a tough challenge from Rep. Sherrod Brown (news, bio, voting record); and $6 million from late August through Nov. 7 in Missouri, where Republican Sen. Jim Talent (news, bio, voting record) is in a close contest with State Auditor Claire McCaskill. Democrats have reserved more than $5 million for advertising over the campaign's final four weeks in Pennsylvania, where Republican Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record) has consistently trailed his Democratic challenger, state Treasurer Bob Casey, by double-digit margins. The National Republican Senatorial Committee has not yet reserved any television time for the fall, although officials declined to discuss the issue. "We're not going to let the Democrats know what our time buying and focus strategies are going to be, certainly not in late July," said Mark Stephens, the group's executive director. Under the direction of Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y., the DSCC has shattered fundraising records and far eclipsed its Republican counterpart in filling their account. In recent federal reports, the Democratic committee said it had $37.7 million in the bank as of June 30. The Republican committee, chaired by Sen. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina, had $19.8 million. Democrats said the party-paid advertising was likely to expand beyond the states where time has been reserved. As an example, Schumer has said for months that the best opportunities to pick up Republican-held seats include Rhode Island. Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee (news, bio, voting record), a moderate, faces a conservative primary opponent Sept. 12 before he can turn his full attention to the fall campaign. It's far likelier Democrats will move in to help Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse, the former state attorney general, if Chafee wins his primary than if he loses. Additionally, Democrats have mentioned Arizona and Virginia as potentially competitive Republican-held seats. Advertising seems possible there, depending on political circumstances and the funds available. The House Democratic campaign committee had previously reserved about $50 million worth of advertising time in several states. Democrats must gain 15 seats to capture the majority.