Independent groups
MSNBC: Romney Super PAC going up with first general-election ads
By Domenico MontanaroThe pro-Mitt Romney Super PAC Restore Our Future is going up with $3.7 million in ads across nine swing states — Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Virginia, and New Hampshire.
Politico: Mitt super PAC spending nearly $4M on ads
By Alexander BurnsA GOP media-tracking source tells me that the buy is approaching the $4 million mark – it’s up to $3.9 million – and now covers a total of nine presidential battlegrounds.
USA Today: Handful of rich donors fueling super PAC money
By Fredreka Schouten and Gregory KorteIn all, $27.6 million has flowed from Nevada to super PACs to influence presidential and congressional contests — nearly 12 times the total contributed by Nevadans who have given to presidential candidates so far in this election.
Disclosure
Politico: Anti-Obama group pushes to shield donors
By Kenneth VogelIn a move designed to shield the identities of anonymous donors and possibly set the stage for a court fight over disclosure, one of the deepest-pocketed Republican outside groups is unveiling eight proposed ads attacking President Barack Obama and defending Mitt Romney — including an ad that touts “Romneycare.”
LA Times: Conservative group seeks FEC approval to keep donors secret
By Matea GoldA conservative group that plans to run a barrage of television ads attacking President Obama has asked the Federal Election Commission if it can avoid disclosing its donors by not naming him explicitly in its commercials.
Candidates and parties
The Hill: GOP lawmaker says Obama trip to Afghanistan is campaign-related
By Jonathan EasleySen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), a member of the Senate’s Armed Forces Committee, criticized President Obama’s surprise visit to Afghanistan on Tuesday as “clearly” campaign-related.
Politico: Top ’08 GOP donor areas shut wallets
By Zachary AbrahamsonSome of the most affluent communities across the country aren’t donating as generously to Republican presidential candidates as they did four years ago, a function of the recession — which struck between election cycles — and a primary schedule that pushed back the dates of several key donor states.
The Hill: GOP money floods battlegrounds, threatens Dems’ hold on Senate
By Alexander BoltonThird-party groups allied with the Republican Party have vastly outspent Democratic incumbents and their backers in Senate battlegrounds.
STATE and LOCAL
Massachusetts –– AP: Political contributions in Mass. US Senate race top $30M; costliest contest in nation
BOSTON — The U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts is not only one of the most closely watched in the nation, it’s also turning out to be the most expensive.
Wisconsin –– Politico: Shock-and-awe fundraising in Wisconsin recall
By Charles MahtesianWisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker, the target of a recall bid, has managed to do that by raising a staggering $13.2 million over a three-month period.
