NRCC puts $18.2M behind first fall ad reservation

By Cameron Joseph - 06/13/12 08:51 AM ET

The National Republican Congressional Committee has reserved $18.2 million in air time for the fall spread across more than two dozen competitive districts.

The reservation is the first the group has made for the fall. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has already reserved $46 million in airtime for that period.

The NRCC's biggest investment goes to Sacramento, where it's putting $3.1 million. That money can be used to defend Reps. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) and Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) as well as go on offense against Reps. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) and Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.).

The GOP committee also reserved $2.2 million in airtime in Boston, which can be used to defend Reps. Charlie Bass (R-N.H.) and Frank Guinta (R-N.H.) as well as target Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.); $1.6 million in Denver to protect Reps. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) and Scott Tipton (R-Colo.); $1.6 million in Las Vegas to protect Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.); and $1.3 million in Pittsburgh to target Rep. Mark Critz (D-Pa.).

The other targets include approximately $2 million combined against North Carolina Democratic Reps. Larry Kissell and Mike McIntyre; $1 million to help Rep. Jim Renacci (R-Ohio) against Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Ohio); $950,000 against Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah); $2.4 million combined to help Reps. Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.), Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) and Reid Ribble (R-Wis.); $720,000 to help Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-Ill.); $640,000 for two downstate Illinois open seats; $300,000 to protect Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio); and $440,000 to attack Rep. Ben Chandler (D-Ky.).

Chandler is the only surprise on the list, as all the other races are agreed upon by both sides as highly competitive.

The list does not include any reservations in Chicago — an expensive media market — where Reps. Robert Dold (R-Ill.), Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) and Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) are all facing uphill battles to hold onto their seats and where the DCCC has plunked down $3.1 million, or in Philadelphia, another highly expensive market that covers a number of potentially competitive races. The DCCC has also not made a Philadelphia reservation. The NRCC's list also does not include any reservations in Florida, which will feature a number of competitive races in the fall.

The ad buy was first reported by Roll Call.