Are DC Democrats holding $200K in TV time against GOP’s Lee Terry?
Joe Jordan | Nebraska Watchdog
It appears—emphasis on the word appears—that D.C. Democrats are ready to put some money where their mouth is when it comes to unseating incumbent GOP Congressman Lee Terry.
Rep. Lee Terry
Omaha is now one of 13 markets across the country where the House Majority PAC—a group out to elect Democrats in potentially close races—is ready to play ball.
The PAC is sending Omaha TV stations $215,000 to reserve ad-time for the fall campaign.
On the face of it that looks like good news for Terry’s Democratic opponent, State Sen. Brad Ashford, but there is a possible catch.
According to the PAC’s website, “It’s difficult to say which races those buys are aimed toward, as many of the markets overlap multiple districts…”
In Omaha’s case that “overlap” is Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, currently held by Republican Tom Latham.
But Latham isn’t running for re-election which makes the fight for his seat between Republican David Young and Democrat Staci Appel, ripe for some of that Omaha TV money.
Last month the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added Ashford to the party’s “Red to Blue” program which targets open seats and slots held by Republicans.
As Nebraska Watchdog first reported Ashford is touting a poll which finds him tied with the eight-term incumbent: It’s 41-41.
Adding to Terry’s potential struggle is the absence of Tea Partier Chip Maxwell in the poll. Political insiders on both sides of the aisle expect Maxwell, who is pushing to get his name on the November ballot, to take a chunk of votes from Terry.
Terry’s campaign has downplayed the poll, insisting among other things that it was done by a “liberal” public relations firm.
Ashford was not included in the DCCC’s big TV plans announced several weeks ago—reserving some $40 million in advertising time for the fall—but that list is said to be subject to change.
Contact Joe Jordan at joe@nebraskawatchdog.org.
Joe can be heard on Omaha’s KFAB radio every Monday at 7:40 a.m. and KHAS-AM in Hastings every Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.
To subscribe to news updates from Nebraska Watchdog at no charge, click here
