Updated Feb. 9, 11:05 a.m. ET
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is making a big-time money drop into the 2012 Congressional races, with a big buy of ads across the country.
The Chamber’s press release announces ads in 16 states and 40 total media markets, targeting 12 House districts and 8 Senate races. And as the Wall Street Journal reports, the total ad buy is $10 million.
Most of the ads target health care reform, attacking Democrats for passing it and supporting Republicans for fighting to repeal “Obamacare.”
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee shot back in a press release, saying in part:
“Republican Senate candidates like George Allen, Dean Heller, Linda Lingle, and others fight for these special interests over the middle class which is why this front group is propping up their campaigns,” said Matt Canter, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. ”Every one of the Republican Senate candidates that is benefiting from these ads sides with private insurance companies over seniors, with big oil companies over small businesses, and with billionaires over middle class families. Voters are going to see these attacks for what they are and all the money in the world won’t be able to distract from the Republican special interest in agenda.”
In Montana, local chambers have already fought back against the national chamber’s political agenda, noting that the local Chamber “does not condone” the attack ads that are designed to prop up the Republican special interest agenda.
This ad targets former Virginia Governor and ex-DNC chair Tim Kaine, in the Virginia Senate race:
Conversely, this ad supports the likely Republican nominee in Virginia, former Sen. George Allen:
This ad targets Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the presumptive Democratic nominee in her state’s open-seat Senate race:
This ad attacks Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH):
This ad attacks Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT):
And this ad goes after Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO):
Another rush of House ads follows the same basic formula, pitching the Republican incumbents as working to repeal “Obamacare.”
As an example, here is the version for Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI). There are also identically themed ads for Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO), Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL), Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rep. Dan Lungren (D-CA), and Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH).
This “Obamacare”-themed ad supports Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI):
This other “Obamacare”-themed ad supports Rep. Charlie Bass (R-NH)
And this one praises New Hampshire’s other Republican Congressman, Frank Guinta:
On the non-“Obamacare” front, some ads support incumbent Republicans who have avidly supported the Keystone XL pipeline project. This one backs Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN), who is facing a primary challenge from his right flank:
And this one is for Rep. Rick Berg (R-ND), the likely nominee for his state’s open-seat Senate race:
This positive ad is for former Gov. Linda Lingle (R-HI) in her heavily-Democratic state’s Senate race, focusing on Hawaii’s particular economic issue of tourism:
This ad praises Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV), on the issue of federal regulations on business:
And this one praises Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL):
And this ad is something of an odd man out — a positive ad for a Democrat, Rep. Jim Matheson of Utah:
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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