House Majority PAC reserves another $6.2 million in airtime for Democrats
June 17, 2014
By Sean Sullivan
A leading super PAC spending money on behalf of Democratic candidates for U.S. House just reserved about $6.2 million in fall TV airtime in 22 media markets, bringing its total investment for the fall ad war to more than $12.6 million.
The group spent more than $1 million in California, according to a rundown of its new reservations shared with Post Politics. The state just completed its all-party primaries, whittling contests down to the top two competitors.
House Majority PAC reserved more than $800,000 in the Sacramento media market, which spans the districts of Democratic Reps. John Garamendi and Ami Bera, among others. The new spending comes on top of $190,000 it previously dished out to reserve fall airtime there.
Other media markets where the group reserved time also cover multiple districts. Advertising reservations are subject to change; the buy sizes could fluctuate between now and the election. Groups and campaigns often aim to scoop up airtime early to get the best possible rates.
The group reserved more than $360,000 in the Los Angeles media market, where Democrat Pete Aguilar averted disaster for his party by surviving a Democratic vote split and advancing to a showdown against Republican Paul Chabot in the 31st district. The district leans to the left and is represented by retiring Rep. Gary Miller, a Republican who was the beneficiary of a 2012 Democratic vote split.
In West Virginia’s 3rd district, where Rep. Nick Rahall (D) is trying to fend of a challenge from state Sen. Evan Jenkins (R), House Majority PAC made its first fall reservation. The group has reserved more than $900,000 in markets covering Rahall’s district.
Three-quarters of the districts where House Majority PAC made its first round of fall reservations are controlled by Democrats. The group reserved about $6.5 million in two dozen districts in its initial investments, made in April.
“This next round of reservations is yet another example of how we are making wise early investments to make our dollars go further,” said House Majority PAC executive director Alixandria Lapp in a statement.
Here is a full list of the media markets where House Majority PAC just reserved new airtime:
Albany: $267,950
Augusta: $268,835
Bluefield-Beckley: $288,905
Burlington: $146,751
Charleston-Huntington: $632,621
Detroit: $434,246
Elmira: $36,170
Hartford: $538,018
Los Angeles: $363,274
Marquette: $150,061
Minneapolis: $303,955
Palm Springs: $151,284
Panama City: $229,188
Peoria: $66,366
Quad Cities: $166,030
Rockford: $65,680
Sacramento: $803,501
Savannah: $279,904
St. Louis: $509,903
Tallahassee: $123,291
Traverse City: $225,245
Watertown: $83,850