Republicans aren’t yet willing to put their money where their mouths are on ObamaCare attacks, it seems.
The Republican National Committee backed its new New Year’s-themed radio ads with as little as $15 dollars in some districts.
{mosads}According to information from Democrats tracking media buys shared with The Hill, the RNC spent just $3,100 to air the radio ads on Tuesday and Wednesday across 36 markets, averaging less than $100 per market.
The RNC ads, which hit 12 Democratic incumbents and candidates, tie Democrats to President Obama’s erroneous claim that Americans could keep their health insurance under ObamaCare.
Against Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), one of Democrats’ top vulnerable incumbents, the committee spent only $15. It spent another $115 to air the ad against Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.).
The RNC spent just $265 to air the ad in three markets against Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), running for Senate there, and $580 to air the ad in six markets in Iowa, against Rep. Bruce Braley (D), another Senate candidate.
The ads also hit Sens. Mark Begich (Alaska), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Mark Udall (Colo.), Mary Landrieu (La.), Kay Hagan (N.C.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.) and Mark Warner (Va.). In some states, like New Hampshire and Oregon, the RNC only launched ads in one media market, an indication they likely spent little on the attacks in the less competitive states.
It’s not atypical for candidates and committees to launch low-dollar attacks early in the year, before voters seriously tune into political campaigns — but the low sum means their message is unlikely to hit many voters’ ears at this point.
RNC spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski dismissed questions concerning the size of the buy and suggested the ads were still hitting home.
“It’s funny, for all the talk about the size of the buy, the Democrats sure are reacting to our ads hitting them on ObamaCare,” she said.