The largest outside group supporting Democratic Senate candidates will begin a last-minute advertising blitz in Wisconsin just a week before Election Day.
The Senate Majority PAC will begin a $2 million ad campaign on Monday on behalf of former Sen. Russ Feingold (D), who leads Sen. Ron Johnson (R) in most polls.
{mosads}Johnson has long been seen as one of the two most vulnerable Senate Republicans seeking reelection this year. But in recent weeks, polls have tightened in Wisconsin, and some Republicans have begun to hope that Johnson can pull off a surprise win.
A Marquette Law School poll released two weeks ago showed Feingold leading 48 percent to 46 percent, a much closer race than the double-digit lead he enjoyed in August. Monmouth University pollsters pegged Feingold’s lead at 52 percent to 44 percent, but even that 8-point gap was narrower than the 13-point edge Feingold held before Labor Day.
In a memo to donors, Johnson campaign manager Betsy Ankney said internal surveys show Johnson gaining ground and independents breaking his way.
In a statement, a spokesman for Johnson argued the spending shows Democrats are concerned about the race.
“Sen. Feingold’s Washington allies have finally admitted that Wisconsinites are getting ready to fire him one last time, and with this race tighter than ever he needs their help to save his political ambitions,” said Brian Reisinger, a Johnson spokesman.
Senate Democratic strategists insist they aren’t worried, though they point out that outside Republican groups are still spending money on Johnson’s behalf.
“Republican special interests are on track to spend more than $10 million attacking Russ Feingold because they want to keep Ron Johnson in the Senate to do their bidding at Wisconsin’s expense,” said Shripal Shah, a Senate Majority PAC spokesman. “Feingold remains positioned to win, but we aren’t going to take any chances by letting these attacks remain unanswered.”
The ad buy is the PAC’s first big foray into Wisconsin. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee canceled its advertising buys in Wisconsin earlier this fall as Feingold appeared to put the race away.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is spending about $720,000 over the final three weeks of the race. The Club for Growth has dropped about $240,000 into Wisconsin on Johnson’s behalf since Oct. 18. Johnson entered the final few weeks of the race with a cash-on-hand advantage of about $600,000.
Outside groups on both sides are rushing to get every penny out the door and into new ads as Election Day approaches. On the right, the Senate Leadership Fund has plowed $25 million into late ads aimed at influencing key races. Senate Majority PAC said Thursday it had raised $19 million in just the first three weeks of October, from a handful of wealthy Democratic donors.