The conservative group Crossroads GPS is going up with radio ads in 19 districts to defend Republicans against a new attack from Democrats.
Crossroads is going up in the exact same 19 districts where the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee went up with media campaigns earlier this week.
The DCCC's campaign included radio ads and phone calls. The ads hit Republicans for pushing to cut spending on education and research, saying those cuts would cost jobs. The Crossroads ads hit back by saying the country needs those members to "stop the bailouts and government spending" so that small businesses can thrive again.
Also at the Post, Rachel Weiner writes:
Now the DCCC is fighting back against Crossroads for defending one representative in particular.
"If Karl Rove and his American Crossroads special interest funders want to rush to the defense of Representative David Rivera that's up to them but voters should be concerned that a group like Rove's is ignoring Rivera's rap sheet and misdeeds," DCCC spokesman Jesse Ferguson said. "If this shadowy special interest funded group wants to come to the rescue of someone like David Rivera than it tells us all we need to know about the kind of candidates they'll chose to defend."
...
"Democrat[ic] leaders are in bed with the big spending interests and bureaucrat unions, are unwilling to propose real spending reductions, and are instead focused on negative attacks," said Crossroads spokesman Jonathan Collegio. "Indeed, they're acting as though the 2010 electoral shellacking never occurred -- but with the same folks in power, why would anyone expect different results?"
The spat is an early sign that Crossroads will be a major player in the 2012 election -- not only funding ads but going to head-to-head with Democratic groups.
One of the targeted Republicans is Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY-25). The Auburn Citizen reports:
It is fascinating to see this level of campaign activity at this stage. The DCCC has been very active, with e-mails and campaigns of their own already underway. While there isn't a challenger for Buerkle and there may not be for some time, Democrats are letting Buerkle know that they plan on challenging her hard come 2012.
That is, of course, if redistricting doesn't eliminate her district.
What's just as intriguing is the involvement of Crossroads GPS. It is February 2011 and they are treating this like October 2012, coming to the defense of a candidate they support. Everyone knows 2012 will be a big election, not only because President Barack Obama is up for re-election, but because House Republicans will defend their majority and Senate Democrats must do the same.
Everyone who is a political observer knows 2012 will be big. But perhaps we didn't expect campaign-like activities to happen until 2012 arrived.
THE CROSSROADS AD IN DEFENSE OF BUERKLE:
