American Crossroads boasts $13 million haul for week, starts spending on House races
New York (CNN) - American Crossroads, the Republican group backed by GOP consultants Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie, will launch its first television ads supporting GOP House candidates this week, as officials there boast about a fundraising surge in the wake of White House attacks on the organization.
A spokesman for American Crossroads, Jonathan Collegio, says the group, along with its affiliate American Crossroads GPS, will begin airing television ads in eight House districts on Friday, and plans to go into 15 House races by Election Day. So far, the group's focus has been on Senate races.
Separately, Collegio says American Crossroads and American Crossroads GPS have raised $13 million dollars since last Tuesday, when the Obama Administration stepped up its criticism of the organization for its big spending against Democrats without disclosing donors.
"Obama and the Democrats are shining the spotlight on us and a lot of Democrats are going to have to address their thank you notes to the White House and DNC when they lose this November," said Collegio.
Collegio says the new influx of cash brings the total money raised to $56 million so far for both arms of the group. This comes on the same day that Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois becomes the latest Democrat to call for an investigation into the groups' tax status.
American Crossroads plans to spend $2 million dollars on its initial advertisements in House races, which will focus mostly on striking behind what Collegio calls the Democrats "firewall" – competitive seats, but ones Democrats see as safer than others. American Crossroads sources admit they are also hoping to force Democrats to spend money on races where they would not otherwise have invested.
For example, American Crossroads will air ads against Democrat Joe Donnelly in Indiana and Zach Space in Ohio. Democratic party officials have said they are more confident about those candidates, but officials at American Crossroads say their internal polling shows they are beatable.
The group will also air an ad against New York Democrat Maurice Hinchey in his district, which had been considered relatively safe. The American Crossroads source says internal data shows Hinchey is vulnerable, so the group is investing there since the Republican party is not.
In fact, although the group is not legally permitted to coordinate with campaigns or the Republican party, American Crossroads officials say they are closely monitoring where the National Republican Campaign Committee is spending its resources, so that they can help elsewhere.
Another example of that is in Hawaii. Republican Charles Djou won a special election earlier this year in what had been a long time Democratic seat. The NRCC is not investing in Djou's race, so American Crossroads made it one of the eight races where it will air ads starting Friday.
"That is traditionally a Democratic seat, and holding that is just as important as picking up another," said an American Crossroads official.
Other House races where the group will launch ads: races against New York Democrats Dan Maffei and Scott Murphy and Florida's Alan Grayson. It will also air an ad to help Republican Dan Lungren's re-election campaign in California.
American Crossroads is coordinating with other GOP groups also running ads in House races, including American Action Network, and the Commission on Hope, Growth and Opportunity.
The Commission on Hope, Growth and Opportunity was started by veteran Republican strategist Scott Reed.
An official there says the group is already airing ads in 15 House districts, and plans to invest in 27 House races by Election Day, with the goal of raising and spending $25 million.
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GREAT NEWS!! It is about time the conservatives used the very same means that the leftists used in 2008 to get Obozo elected. I guess now its a bad thing because the DemocRATS aren't getting another $400 MILLION like Obozo got in 2008 and didn't disclose the source. booohooohooo....
Democrats have had congress for 4 years and the White House for two. Much of that time they had a super majority and could do as they please. When they started doing as they please American voters woke up and realized this is wrong. Democrats are their own worst enemies
Isn't that great. It takes a lot of money to overcome the money that unions steal from their members to support the corrupt Democrat liberals the like to support. Of course most of the union money is actually a kickback from the stimulus program, composed of taxpayer money, that Obama and the Democrat liberal party gave to the union bosses as payback for their support in the 2008 election theft.
I don't think it's fair that state races can receive so much money from outside groups, just like how international companies should not be allowed to give money to national races. i understand congress and the HOR enact national laws, but the senator and rep races should be kept locally focused. Otherwise we have completely incompetent people who win a state race because they are more financially supported by outside groups rather than their own constituents. This goes for both Republicans and Democrats, obviously.
I just Keep President keeps up the attacks so we can raise even more. Americans want change they can believe in and they have seen the Snake Oil Salesman for what he is. Keep running that head Mr. President you are raising money for Republicans every time you do it. Bye Bye Dems
This is the face of Corporate America. They don't stand for the lil guy. There is no satisfying their appetite. They will devour all. Only the forces of American Democracy, the Electorate, can stop them. It's Lord of the Rings in reality.
GOP really wants to win the mid-term election with any cost; despite the use of big coporations money and or foriegn donors who wants to influence the US government in undercover. The end of democracy is coming.
Remember the outright apoplexy over the funding for Park 51 mosque? Remember how the right was just hysterical over where the funding was coming from, and if it was coming from foreign sources. Remember their outrage?
Isn't it a shame that those same "patriots", those "real Americans" don't have the same concern for the funding of their candidates and the validity of our elections? I think it's pathetic, but pavlov didn't ring the bell, and the dogs just aren't reacting. Yeah, the dogs will vote for the folks that have actually "taken" their America – but in their ignorance, they continue to support them.
If they're not doing anything wrong, they should disclose. Why don't the donors want the voters to know who they're contributing to? The gop and their corporate and wealthy benefactors are buying these elections – c'mon patriots, where's your outrage?
Curious to see if Rove will be using the 13million to highlight Republican issues, solutions, and job growth ideas. Or, will it be more of the same blah, blah, blah, lies and fear tactics we've already seen? I actually feel sorry for those living in the states Rove deems most beneficial to win. Hopefully these poor folks have stocked up on remote controls. They're going need more than one . . .
They will all be wearing orange jumpsuits soon.
Charlie wrote: "Democrats have had congress for 4 years and the White House for two. Much of that time they had a super majority and could do as they please."
Sorry Charlie, you're wrong. The dems have not heald a "supermajority". A supermajority in the senate is 67 votes, you're confused.
I can see from all the pro Obama, pro Democrat liberal stuff that is getting through moderation on the ticker today that the liberal moderator is on duty. Nothing but praise for the libs, comments by real people being moderated out. It is the liberal way.
Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie deciding election with Black money
Year 2000 replay in 2010
Whoever thinks this is great is insane. I wish President Obama would have disclosed the donor's to his campaign. I don't think it's right that corporations can now donate as much money as they want and buy policitians and elections. That's definitely what the Repubs are doing as they cater to the Rich and Greedy who care only for themselves and everyone who doesn't believe exactly what they do can go to hell.
13 million, In addition to the amount why not post the list of these deep pockets, home much cames from CEO's happily shipping jobs overseas, I'm sure they are paying for service rendered since none of these "Country First" bought and paid for Republican voted for a bill to tax these companies. When will middle America realize that Republicans are only lip service and slogans. When I make a mess, I roll my sleeves up and fix it, Repulblicans stand on the sidelinesshout NO and heckle the workers with the broom. Meanwhile depending on the low attention span of Americans to vote them in, for more of the same. This recession didn't start two years ago and it shouldn' t take two years to fix. If there was a drive up window to solve all problem I'm sure we would all be problem free.
@21 Days until Socialism dies in the United States who said, "It is about time the conservatives used the very same means that the leftists used in 2008 to get Obozo elected"
Millions of people sent small amounts of money to help Obama get elected. The conservatives are raising money thru foreign companies and a select few billionaires who buy legislation that screws people like you over.
@stufit who said, "It takes a lot of money to overcome the money that unions steal from their members to support the corrupt Democrat liberals the like to support."
You have no proof of this. There is no investigation of this. What are you talking about?
I promise you, It will not matter how much money you have.
PIctures are worth a thousand words. Looks like the 3 stooges. More like the 3 biggest nerds and creeps I have ever seen. Rove conveniently dodges questions about whether or not his groups take foreign money and simply says not to my knowledge – which means nothing in legalize talk. The bottomline is that these creeps have a lot to hide and most Americans can see right through their front – smoke and mirrors to justify why they refuse to disclose BIG $ donors. To protect their "privacy"? ha ha
@21 Days: Since you don't remember, during the 2008 election corporations were capped on their donation amounts because the SC decision to count them as individuals hadn't occurred yet. The Obama campaign received much of its support from small and first-time donors, and that led to one of the largest landslide wins in the past 100 years (5 million extra votes). Now that corporations have free reign over how much they can give to candidates, including foreign corporations with barely an office in the US, our candidates are more likely than ever to be bought out by companies only looking out for their own interests. You know what this hyper-privatization is called? Fascism, it's what the Nazis practiced.
And just how much of this cash goes into Rove's pocket for "consulting"? This guy doesn't do something for nothing.
Just shows how corrupt politics is. The supreme court throws out all the campaign finance reform for the past sixty years and no wonder this is what we get. People need to wake up if they think this is a good thing, even if you're a republican. Everyone should want as much transparency as possible in anything having to do with the government.
The only time people need to keep secrets is when they have something to hide. It's clear as day what's going on, yet lot's of people get too caught up in to which political party is winning, instead of looking at our country and what's best for the country. Tactics are character.
Here is newsflash for the dumb brainwashed conservatives, the money for the Presidential campaign for Obama, WAS 100% DISCLOSED YOU MORONS, it was all from small donors, millions of Americans gave 20-30 dollars to President Obama, and it DIDN'T come form overseas like the money that is UNDISCLOSED, as it is the case for American Crossroads.
GOD, YOU PEOPLE ARE DUMB, CHINA IS BUYING YOU AND YOUR VOTE AND YOUR DUMB**S IS FALLING FOR IT AGAIN. HOW MANY FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS DO THESE CONSERVATIVES HAVE TO MAKE BEFORE YOUR JOB IS SHIPPED OVERSEAS YOU MORONS.
If Karl Rove is your standard, then you just about rate as high as that sludge on the bottom of my shoe soles does. God you people are really dumb, but then again religion and a lack of education (AKA home schooling) does that for you.
Good job White House, you gave even more money to your enemies, you deserve exactly what you are getting, badly planned, badly lead just plain bad.
The WH is complaining about foreign money buying elections. Our dept is supported by foreign money and we don't seem to have a problem with borrowing foreign money to give money to unions for their support.
Rove and Gillespie appear to be conducting a political coup using money from unnamed sources instead of guns to gain power in this once great country. Rove's MO is similar to his activities while in the White House with Bush and Cheney, where his political tentacles reached out to the big as well as the remotest areas of the land. The big question: if large sums of money can be given anonymously and possibly come from foreign countries, is this action in the best interests of the United States or......? The Justice department would do us all a service if they began an investigation of Rove and company. Perhaps the Supreme Court , who made undeclared contributions possible, should also be investigated.
When karl Rove dies, who will inherit his copy of the Necronomicon? I'm thinking maybe Jeb Bush, but he doesn't seem quite evil enough yet. Have a nice day!