NRSC move heats up battle for control of Senate
Washington (CNN) - The battle for control of the Senate is getting even more interesting, thanks to a move by the National Republican Senatorial Committee to reserve nearly $3 million to pay for television commercials to run in the closing days of this year's midterm election campaigns in California, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The NRSC confirms that nearly $2 million will be spent in California alone, where poll suggest the battle between three-term Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer and former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, the GOP challenger, is nearly deadlocked.
"Barbara Boxer's partisan and ineffective record has finally caught up with her, and we believe this is the year California turns the corner on its economy by electing a new leader in the Senate. We're preparing to go on offense and ensure Carly Fiorina has the resources she needs to win in November," NRSC Communications Director Brian Walsh tells CNN.
But Democrats are questioning the GOP move.
"Their whole pitch about Fiorina was that she's a self funder and they wouldn't need to spend any money. She's a multi-millionaire, so why are they pouring cash into her?" a Democratic source tells CNN.
The NRSC is also expected to spend just over half a million dollars in Washington and $470,000 in Wisconsin, two other states where they are hoping to win back Senate seats. Patty Murray of Washington and Russ Feingold, both three-term Democratic senators who have large campaign warchests, face competitive contests this year as they bid for re-election.
At the end of last month, the NRSC reported having $19.7 million cash on hand while the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee reported just over $21 million in the bank.
The Republicans currently control 41 seats in the Senate and need to win back 10 seats to take control of the chamber.
–Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn
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Why CA or our country would want to elect someone who shipped 10,000 US jobs over-seas and nearly wrecked an iconic company is beyond me. I hope the CA voters come to their senses.
another wing nut seeking entrance to congress.
It could be $300 million; no amount of money will get a candidate as unqualified, incompetent, and downright repulsive as Fiorina to the senate.
As a guy, I don't much care for either lady's hair. But I dig all that Boxer has accomplished in her years in the senate.
It's interesting as i saw a story today on CNN's website describing the region around the Gulf as the nation's new toilet bowl.I think you could say the same thing about our country .If you what to see where our country is headed you don't have to look at Greece, just look at California. New York, and Michigan.Obama has done zilch to change the outcome, he's only made it more likely that it will occur.
Fiorina is just another corporate puppet. Didn't she almost bankrupt Hewlitt Packard!! By the way, they gave her a golden parachute in order to resign voluntairly.
That is the last thing California needs.
Fiorina is just the one to outsource California's economy to China.
California needs CHANGE
Boxer and Pelosi are in dire need of retirement. I have faith the voters in CA. are not as naive as the rest of the country thinks. Maybe some but not the real CA. Americans.
It's time CA. leads the way and starts taking control back for their state before it's just too late