Democratic PAC to boost vulnerable incumbents
October 7, 2014
By Jose A. DelReal
The House Majority PAC, a Democratic political action committee, is going up with attack ads in six key congressional districts around the country, five of which will air in districts where vulnerable incumbents are struggling to fend off GOP challengers.
The group is lending support to Democratic Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick in AZ-01, Ron Barber in AZ-02, Ami Bera in CA-07, Joe Garcia in FL-26 and Collin Peterson in MN-07. Notably, the PAC is also going up in CO-06 on behalf of Andrew Romanoff, who is attempting to unseat GOP Rep. Mike Coffman.
Almost all of the ads, which were announced Monday evening and are collectively backed by an initial run of more than $2 million, hit Republican challengers on Social Security. The ads also attempt to tie the candidates to special interests and the Koch brothers.
“When the New York billionaire Koch brother’s call, Andy Tobin answers,” the narrator says in one ad. “They spent millions trying to privatize social security. Now they’re spending over a million trying to elect Andy Tobin.”
In Colorado, the organization hits Coffman on his resistance to stem cell research. “Who is Mike Coffman to put his personal beliefs ahead of my child’s life?” says a mother featured in the clip.
The new ads come after the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s announcement that it was shifting media reservations in eight media markets spanning twelve districts. The DCCC’s move essentially draws down media buys in long-shot districts and consolidates resources to protect already-Democratic seats.
The new House Majority PAC ads, say Republicans, are the latest sign Democrats are openly shifting into a defensive posture in the final weeks of the election, allocating resources in districts where vulnerable incumbents have a chance of holding onto their seats while foregoing a strategy to flip seats.