Schweikert ramps up ads after declaring victory (AZ-05)

[ccharles000]

http://azcapitoltimes.com/strike-everything/2010/08/20/schweikert-ramps-up-ad-buys-after-declaring-race-over/

It turns out the primary is still on Aug. 24 after all.

Just days after declaring that he was cutting his television ad spending in half because he had such an insurmountable lead in the Republican primary for Arizona’s 5th Congressional District, David Schweikert ramped up his advertising with a $14,000 cable television buy for the last week before the primary. The spending boost comes after Schweikert had halved his $12,000-a-week television advertising budget.

Campaign spokesman Oliver Schwab said he stands by his Aug. 13 statement that the former Maricopa County treasurer is so far ahead of rivals Chris Salvino, Susan Bitter Smith and Jim Ward that the primary is essentially over based on internal polling and early ballot returns. But he said the campaign wants to reach out to primary voters who will vote in person on Election Day.

“We made the decision to make sure that we finish strong. There’s every reason in the world to fight until the last moment,” said Schwab, who told the Arizona Capitol Times on Aug. 13 that Schweikert was “so far ahead” that he’d cut his ad buys in half.