By Kathy Barks Hoffman
AP Political Writer
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- If you're watching a negative campaign ad on TV, chances are a political party or outside group paid for it.
More than 80 percent of the television ads aired in the past two months in the races for governor and the 1st and 7th district congressional districts were paid for by political parties and outside groups, the nonpartisan Michigan Campaign Finance Network reported this week. The ads can't tell voters to back a specific candidate, but are allowed to focus on "issues" in a particular race.
The biggest outsider spending has come in the governor's race.
The Republican Governors Association spent $2.1 million through Sunday on ads benefiting GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder, according to Michigan Campaign Finance Network executive director Rich Robinson. Robinson said he was forced to estimate some of the governors association's spending because the group has tried to keep television stations from making the ad buys public.
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce has given the Republican Governors Association more than $2.5 million, and the group has set up a $4 million political action group in Michigan. The four association ads run so far have praised Snyder and criticized Democratic candidate Virg Bernero.
Snyder, who spent nearly $2.4 million on ads in the primary election, hasn't run any ads since Aug. 3, relying instead on the association's ads to reach voters.
Bernero didn't air any ads during the primary election but has spent nearly $1 million on ads since the general election began. The Michigan Democratic State Central Committee has spent $2.4 million on ads benefiting the Bernero campaign.
Outside groups spent $18 million on ads during Michigan's 2006 gubernatorial election and almost $10 million between the primary and general elections in the 2002 gubernatorial race, Robinson said.
In the congressional contests, much of the ad spending is coming from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee or the National Republican Congressional Committee, which are pouring money into races in a national fight over which party will control the U.S. House.
The NRCC has spent more than $460,000 on ads helping GOP candidate Dan Benishek in northern Michigan's 1st District race and more than $610,000 to help Tim Walberg in the 7th District race in southern Michigan. The DCCC, meanwhile, has spent more than $310,000 on ads helping Democrat Gary McDowell in the 1st District and more than $185,000 helping Rep. Mark Schauer in the 7th District.
Big money for ads also is coming from groups with deep ties to conservative groups and to unions.
Americans for Prosperity, a conservative group started by billionaire conservative oil baron David Koch, has aired more than $340,000 in ads in the 1st congressional district and nearly that much in the 7th to benefit GOP candidates.
The group's Michigan ad buys are part of about $5.5 million it has spent in key House battlegrounds nationwide. It's ads don't mention specific candidates but criticize Democratic President Barack Obama's policies.
The American Future Fund also is spending big in Michigan congressional races. The conservative group's media strategists include the creator of the Swift Boat for Veterans for Truth ad that went after 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's military record. The group has spent almost $175,000 on ads to help Benishek and more than $300,000 on ads helping Walberg.
Union ad buys have come largely from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Since the Aug. 3 primary election, the union has spent more than $650,000 on ads to help Schauer and just over $221,000 on ads helping 9th District Democratic Rep. Gary Peters.
Published: Thu, Oct 7, 2010
