Republican-leaning groups set to outspend Democrats in midterms

[alp227]

Democratic Party officials are sending a wake-up call to the party's operatives, allies and grassroots supporters, saying they could be vastly outspent by Republican-leaning outside interest groups in November's midterm elections.

A four-page memorandum circulating widely among Democrats estimates that conservative interest groups, including the newly-minted American Crossroads, could collectively spend upwards of $300 million on the fall campaigns -- a far larger sum than in previous election cycles. Democrats have been slow to recognize the impending threat of such third-party groups, but have now concluded that conservative groups are likely to dramatically outspend liberal groups this cycle, said one Democratic official.

For the past few weeks, Democratic National Committee Chairman Timothy M. Kaine, the lawmakers responsible for retaining the party's congressional majorities and other party leaders have been privately issuing warnings to top party donors and strategists.

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One of the biggest players is American Crossroads, founded by GOP strategist Karl Rove and former Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan, which has pledged to spend $52 million. Democratic leaders see a tactical advantage in highlighting the estimated spending by conservative groups. They believe Rove's connection in particular will anger and excite the party's grassroots donor base to give money to Democratic committees and candidates.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/08/AR2010070804764.html?wprss=rss_politics

[MadMaddie]

1. Maybe but if they spend like the RNC has spent on

insane and often poor candidates and the Dems are tactical and strategic the money won't matter.