Romney's Ad Buy Tops President's

For the first week of this election season, Mitt Romney is outspending President Barack Obama on television ads, with the Republican challenger dipping into a war chest amassed from an aggressive fundraising schedule.

Romney will spend about $16.8 million on television ads this week, according to ad-tracking data provided by media buyers, while President Obama will spend about $15.5 million, down 30% from a week earlier, when the campaign spent heavily to air a two-minute, pre-debate spot. When spending by independent super PACs is included, the mismatch is wider. Romney and his allies will combine for $31.4 million this week, compared with $19.7 million for President Obama and his supporters, according to data from one media tracker.