Advocacy Groups Lift Ad Spending

Outside political groups have spent three times as much on political advertisements for the 2010 midterm elections as they had at the same point in 2006—an early sign both liberal and conservative groups plan to play a bigger role than ever in this year's congressional races.

The nonpartisan Campaign Media Analysis Group reports that advocacy groups seeking to influence elections have spent a total of $62 million thus far in the 2009-10 election season. At the same point in the previous midterm election, outside groups had funded a total of $22 million in television ads. The spending rise by outside groups is largely the result of the proliferation of conservative advocacy groups in the last year. In the past few months, a half-dozen new conservative organizations have announced plans to raise tens of millions of dollars to try to influence this year's congressional elections.