DCCC shuffles TV reservations

The DCCC canceled their buy for Oct. 16-22 in Iowa’s 4th District, where Rep. Steve King (R ) is facing a challenge from Democrat Christie Vilsack. King has led in a number of recent polls, but only within the margin of error in most, indicating this continues to be a competitive race. House Majority PAC, a group working to elect a Democratic majority to the House, is still spending there.

{mosads}The DCCC also decreased their buy for the same period of time in the Minneapolis media market, which covers voters in both Minnesota’s 1st and 8th Districts, though the group still maintained $420,000 in air time in the area. While Democratic incumbent Rep. Tim Walz seems safe in the 1st District, the Democratic challenger in the 8th District, Rick Nolan, has kept within the margin of error of Rep. Chick Cravaack (R), indicating the remaining buy may be steered towards supporting Nolan’s bid.

They also continued a series of rollbacks started last week in six races that now seem like foregone conclusions in favor of the Republicans. The group cut buys in Florida’s 16th District, Indiana’s 2nd District, North Carolina’s 8th District, North Dakota’s at-large District, Ohio’s 10th District and Virginia’s 2nd District.  Three of those seats — Reps. Vern Buchanan (Fla.), Scott Rigell (Va.) and Mike Turner (Oh.) — are held by Republican incumbents, and two open seats are currently held by lawmakers running for Senate (Reps. Joe Donnelly (D-Ill.) and Rick Berg (R-N.D.).

The final seat in which the DCCC is withdrawing funds is held by Rep. Larry Kissel (R-N.C.), a vulnerable incumbent.

And the DCCC is also targeting what they view as vulnerable GOP incumbents with their expanded buys. The group is increasing buys  targeting Reps. Mary Bono Mack (Calif.), Sean Duffy (Wis.), Quico Canseco (Texas) and Chris Gibson (N.Y.) by at least six figures in each case. It’s also adding funds to its efforts in Illinois’ 12th District, and launching a new buy, worth $500,000 over the next two weeks, in Washington’s 1st District, which will be vacated by Rep. Jay Inslee (D).