Outside Groups Spend Millions Attacking Baldwin, Propping Up Thompson
Outside groups have spent over $5 million this year attacking Tammy Baldwin and propping up Tommy Thompson’s campaign, but recent polls show Thompson is falling and that his campaign is in trouble.
Several polls this week showed Thompson falling. A new poll released by the New York Times/CBS/Quinnipiac showed that Thompson has lost six points in the last month. [1]
Thompson, a multimillionaire Washington, D.C. insider, told WISN, “I think the fact that we’re broke and they’ve got $4 million is a pretty good position to be in. I feel pretty good where I’m at.” [2]
Rove to the Rescue
At the same time, Karl Rove’s group, Crossroads GPS, upped their total spending to $1.4 million in attacks ads against Baldwin to help Thompson’s struggling campaign. [3]
“Karl Rove’s one-million-dollar ad buy proves the point made in polls released this week — Tommy Thompson is in trouble and his special interest friends in Washington are trying to rescue his falling campaign,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate.
After spending over $2.2 million attacking Baldwin during the Republican primary, outside groups have spent over $2.6 million against Baldwin in TV attacks over the past month of the general election and an additional $661,000 propping up Thompson.
“Thompson goes quiet on U.S. Senate campaign trail.”
The media have reported this week that Thompson has been “keeping a low profile after the primary” and that since the August primary, Thompson “has held fewer than a half dozen official public campaign events.”
As the Lacrosse Tribune reported, “Lisa Boothe, Thompson’s communications director, said the governor has been “actively meeting with voters since the primary.” But Boothe only provided three examples.” [4]
The Wisconsin State Journal reported “Thompson goes quiet on U.S. Senate campaign trail.” [5]
“Last month the Marquette poll had Thompson up nine points but every poll this week has shown Thompson losing ground,” Tate said. “Tommy hasn’t been working for Wisconsin votes, he has been relying on his special interest friends to carry the ball for him and they are running in the wrong direction.”
Primary Spending Against Baldwin
NRSC $32,179.00
US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE $1,333,161.00
AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY $423,225.00
AMERICAN COMMITMENT $464,518.00
TOTAL $2,253,083.00
General Election Spending Against Baldwin/For Thompson
CROSSROADS GPS $1,447,805.00
AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY $513,808.00
60 PLUS $520,800.00
NFIB $145,587.00
AMERICAN CHEMISTRY CONCIL $633,579.00
TOTAL $3,261,579.00
(Source, Wisconsin Television Stations)
[1] – A Tight Race in Wisconsin (New York Times, Sept. 19, 2012)
[2] – Karl Rove Responds to Tommy Thompson Poll Tailspin with One-Million-Dollar Ad Buy (WisDems, Sept. 17, 2012)
[3] – Senate candidates talk campaign money (WISN, Sept. 18, 2012)
[4] – Tommy Thompson keeping low profile after primary (La Crosse Tribune, Sept. 15, 2012)
[5] – Thompson goes quiet on U.S. Senate campaign trail (Wisconsin State Journal, Sept. 15, 2012)
