GOP groups reserve over $7.4M airtime for Louisiana runoff

Republican groups are gearing up for an all but certain runoff in the Louisiana Senate race.

{mosads}Ending Spending, the group backed by billionaire Joe Ricketts, has reserved more than $2.4 million in airtime after the November election, according to National Review. The New York Times is reporting the National Rifle Association has plunked down more than $1 million, while the National Republican Senatorial Committee has reserved almost $3 million, and Freedom Partners, a group linked to the billionaire conservative donors Charles and David Koch, has reserved just over $1 million for the runoff period.

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) is facing off against Rep. Bill Cassidy (R) and retired Air Force Col. Rob Maness in the Nov. 4 jungle primary, where all candidates, regardless of party, will be listed together on the ballot. If no candidate tops 50 percent of the vote, the race will head to a December runoff.

Every recent public poll has suggested that’s the most likely outcome, with Landrieu and Cassidy likely to face off. There, Cassidy is favored, and two recent polls showed him holding a slight lead over Landrieu.

Democrats do not appear to have reserved any airtime for the runoff period and have long said they see their best chance to win outright in November.