The GOP-aligned American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS are adding $4.6 million to a Senate ad blitz expanding to six more states.
The states in their cross-hairs are Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Virginia, North Dakota and Missouri — all six states with competitive Senate races.
Combined with the ads the groups began running last week in New Mexico, Indiana and Montana, the total buy is $5.7 million, with ads running on cable and broadcast television.
The Crossroads groups have spent by far the most money on ads so far of any outside groups, and this list includes every competitive Senate race with the exception of Massachusetts, where the candidates have agreed to a ban on outside group spending.
Democrats are expecting their allies to be vastly outspent on the air this election, and the Crossroads groups are doing just that at this point, bombarding candidates across the country with little response from liberal advocacy groups in many of the states.
The ads hit Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) for backing Democrats' stimulus legislation, and Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and North Dakota Democrat Heidi Heitkamp for backing President Obama's healthcare law.
They attack former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) for opposing the balanced-budget amendment and for living in New York City until recently; accuse Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) of "using her office to enrich her family;" and say former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D) "left Virginia behind" when he became Democratic National Committee chairman.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fired back against the ads.
"The special interest agenda Karl Rove is pushing puts private insurance companies, Big Oil, and millionaires ahead of seniors, small businesses, and the middle class," said DSCC spokesman Matt Canter. "Republicans know that this agenda is wrong for the middle class and that's why they're launching misleading, desperate attacks to try and distract from their dangerous policies.”
