Rep. Latham reserves $1.5 million in campaign airtime

Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa) has reserved $1.5 million in airtime for the run-up to the general election, a major investment this far ahead of the election.

Latham has a large money advantage over Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa), whom he is running against: $2 million in the bank to Boswell's $650,000. The two are running in a newly drawn swing district in southwest Iowa.

"The campaign has built and maintained a solid financial and organizational lead in this race," said Latham campaign manager Annie Kelly in a statement. "The strong financial support allows us to ensure that Tom Latham's work and fight for every Iowan will be heard by the voters at the most critical time of the election calendar."   

The buy is also a sign of how much of an effect super-PACs are having in some races: Latham has already been on the air defending himself against attacks from a Democratic-affiliated super-PAC. Many observers believe airtime will be bought up quickly and will run out in many states, especially in swing states like Iowa where there are multiple competitive races.

The buy is slotted to begin in August and run on cable and broadcast TV in the Des Moines and Omaha, Neb., media markets.