Atlanta (CNN) - With the recognition that Super Tuesday did not deliver a knock-out punch for Mitt Romney and that the Republican primary contest is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, the super PAC supporting Romney's bid has bought almost $1.4 million worth of ads in states that don't vote until the end of March.
The group told CNN it has purchased $937,000 worth of air time in Illinois, which votes on March 20 and $451,000 for commercials in Louisiana, which holds its primary on March 24.
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With much of the political world's attention now focused on Alabama and Mississippi, which vote next week, the super PACs supporting Romney and Newt Gingrich are engaged in a multi-million dollar ad war in those two states.
Taking advantage of its major cash advantage, Restore Our Future has bought more than $2 million in Alabama and Mississippi in broadcast and cable time through the primaries, according to a Republican media consultant tracking buys. The group, which started airing commercials in both states two weeks ago, is running a combination of ads criticizing both Santorum and Gingrich and one touting Romney's help in saving the son of a former business associate. The PAC bought more than $1.3 million worth of ads slated to begin airing Wednesday through primary day.
Winning Our Future, which is supporting Gingrich, is also already on the air, having bought a total of $665,000 worth of broadcast, cable and radio commercials in both states, according to the GOP consultant.
Romney's campaign just weighed in with a $165,000 buy for broadcast ads in Alabama. Gingrich's campaign just bought $20,000 of cable time in Alabama and Mississippi.
The super PAC pushing Romney also is aiming its fire at Santorum in several mailers sent to Alabama voters.
In one obtained by CNN, the pro-Romney Restore Our Future attacks Rick Santorum for "Typical behavior from a real Washington insider."
The mailer reads: "Like Most D.C. insiders Rick Santorum has a problem. He puts his interests ahead of ours!" The flier specifically criticizes Santorum for voting for a bill allowing felons to vote. Santorum has said that vote was unfairly criticized because the bill required a person to finish all parole and probation before being allowed back on the voting rolls.
The other side of the pamphlet shows a sign saying "Vote here" with the word "felons" written above it and next to it. It states: "Rick Santorum voted with Hillary Clinton to allow felons to vote. Typical behavior from a real Washington insider."
A second flyer, also obtained by CNN and also sent to Alabama voters, contrasts the fiscal conservative credentials of Romney and Santorum. While painting the former Massachusetts governor as someone who has created thousands of jobs and eliminated a $3 billion deficit, the group goes after Santorum for voting to increase the federal debt ceiling and spending millions on pork barrel projects.
Words at the bottom of the flyer read: "The facts speak for themselves." The other side of the mailer asks: "What do you believe is our best path forward? The American Way [with a picture of Romney] or the Washington way [with a picture of Santorum]?"
As CNN previously reported, Rick Santorum's campaign is expected to make a major purchase of ads in Alabama, Mississippi and Kansas, which holds its caucuses Saturday. So far the pro-Santorum super PAC Red, White and Blue Fund has not started advertising in Alabama and Mississippi.
Also see:
'Joe the Plumber' wins GOP primary in Ohio
From CNN Politics
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I would think that intelligent republicans would prefer bipartisanship over republican gridlock which is destroying our country.
Notice how the republican hate machine will use women to fire up the extreme right wingnut anti woman base?
Here is the real deal, Mr Personality at this very moment is with his advisors & atorneys drawing up a plan to win the W way. He is using his STRATEGRY to promise every other of the 3 Candidates a position in The Romney administration. Dont be fooled by tha SEVERLY fake smile of his after losing Tenn, Georgia, North Dakota & by winning by the skin of his teeth 1 % in Ohio. The man & his Posse are running scared & they are ready to do just about anything to put this GOP drawnout fight to closure. I think the main reason is Romney is goin to go 0 for three in these next 3 SOUTHERN non mormon states. Im tellin you, Mr personality is going to pull out ALL the stops & he has boatloads of Cash and a couple dozen Atorneys with 0 Scuples. I predict this will happen.
Uh-huh. There are a lot of blatant attempts at disenfranchising certain segments of the population from voting because they historically vote Democratic. If you think this little ad is really aimed at Santorum you need to think again. This is just the beginning.
Get your state ID's and whatever else they're NOW asking you to have in order for you to be able to vote before they turn you away at the polls. These people are counting on your ignorance of the new procedures they are surreptitiously implementing to keep you from voting.
Eyes open America! Don't get distracted by the Four Clowns of the Apocalypse.
Wire Palladin, S. F. wrote:
I would think that intelligent republicans would prefer bipartisanship over republican gridlock which is destroying our country
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You have made a false assumption. That species of Republican is an endangered species that is nearly extinct. Their votes are so few that they get lost in haystack.
well, in reformatory theory of punishment, yes, felons are also citizens, in democracy, all citizens have right to vote. This is a democratic concept. When, Tax Evaders are voting why not felons, where they were felons by either wanton, or circumstances, either extenuating or aggravating, why not give a chance for them to vote.
why not, Are tax evaders and tax cheats not voting? Are these citizens worst than them? Democracy.
So Mitt Romney's campaign, or psudo-campaign, is taking the position that if you commit a crime and do your time, you still lose your voting rights forever? Really? Are their any more ways they can think of to disenfranchise voters?
Well the mormon candidate won't win in the south because they already associate the word "Lies", "Deceptive", and "Ignorant" with anyone mormon because unlike any part of the country the Bible Belt has done it's research on the mormon church and the only candidate that could affect Santorum is Gingrich but again he has been married 3 times and the wife he has now is out of adultery so Santorum has the South already won. Again waisted money for Romney
The other thing Mr Personality is going to do is promise Ron Pauls son a high ranking position also. This scaneio is getting SEVERLY predictable
Hope they keep the negative ads going all the way to the convention. After they finish beating up on each other, the eventual nominee will have turned off many voters.
Mittens is going to lose the vast majority of the next few contests as Sanctimonious Santorum fires up the fire-and-brimstone bible thumpers in the southern contests. He'll still outspend everyone by at least 10-1 and have little to no positive spin to show for it
As argueably the most powerful mormon on earth, doesnt Mr Personality have the clout to change the CULTS stance on only allowing whites as Elders in the LDS. I believe he does, however he wont because he is just plain SEVERLY racist!!!
Thank you for the backbone for that. God Bless America & free speech!!!!!
Like I said some time ago,Willard will be crucified in the south.The morman cult will be a big factor.Southerners will not vote for willard.He is wasting his money.
Shows that alot of southern people are biggots.
Palin is a joke, entire nation knows, because of her, World is laughing at America. hooo...I can see India and China from my roof-top....hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Rudy – I think the species of today's GOP can be classified as 'repulicantus wingnutus.'
Why is differnt point of view always deemed as bigot by the PC liberals??? What spin!!! Sorry I am wise to your manipulations.
There are many people who made mistakes early in life that earned them a felony. Are we to say that they are banned from voting forever? Even if the felony was committed 20, 30, 40+ years ago? There should be a time limit imposed on banning their right to vote, then it should be restored if there are no further crimes committed.
Oh yea I should have included the intellectual language wingnut, clown and joke??? Sorry but this language and your disrespect for fellow Americans is just an example of how low the democrats need to sink to manufacture a point???
Truth...finally!!!! You said something that is true! I'm proud of you. Well you got it right for once, except the palin part, you're still in fantasyland about that. Be a winner, Be a democrat!
Hmmmmm seems like everything from a budget to laws passed by the house get derailed by the democratic senate???? I will contend outright that the democrats had two years of complete control-blew it- and are now having a tantrum!!!! Go independents!!!!
"Sorry but this language and your disrespect for fellow Americans is just an example of how low the democrats need to sink to manufacture a point???"
If the clown shoe fits . . . .
rla – your calling the president a socialist, communist, muslim, and a host of other names is so respectful? Grow up.