In summary
The campaign for California’s hottest congressional race is being boosted by outside groups. That money is on top of fundraising by candidates, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans.
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Voters began seeing dueling ads last month pitting former Democratic Rep. Rudy Salas against Republican Rep. David Valadao in one of California’s most contested congressional districts.
Only a small portion of those ads were paid for by their own campaigns.
Each candidate presented a 30-second spot touting their agricultural roots and commitment to representing working families. But in far more television ads, funded by other political groups, they are depicted as separate from the working class and painted in dark, monochrome colors.
Spending wars between Democratic and Republican candidates in California’s five closest congressional races have been fueled by outside political groups independent of candidates’ campaigns buying airtime, campaign finance records show. is being promoted.
As of Thursday, outside groups had spent a total of $71 million in close races from the Central Valley to Southern California. That’s nearly double what the candidates themselves spent this election, according to data from OpenSecret, a Washington, D.C.-based campaign finance watchdog group. group.
Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, said the funding war highlights the importance of California in controlling the House, even though the state as a whole is safely Democratic. He said he is doing so.
“The road to becoming a speaker goes through California,” Pitney said.
The spending blitz comes as Republicans try to fend off Democratic challengers and protect their eight-seat majority in the House. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries campaigned for California battleground candidates this week.
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But in California’s six most competitive districts, Republicans outperformed Democrats by nearly 300 percentage points from July to September, according to the latest federal campaign finance filings.
Mr. Salas, for example, raised $1.8 million from individuals and political committees, while Mr. Valadao raised just $727,000, records show. In another competitive Central Valley seat, Democratic businessman Adam Gray raised $2.3 million, while incumbent Republican Rep. John Duarte raised just under $500,000.
Democratic Congressional candidate Rudy Salas speaks to a crowd of volunteers at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Bakersfield on October 15, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local
Similarly, in Southern California’s 27th, 41st, and 47th Congressional Districts, Democrats more than doubled Republican fundraising in the third quarter. In Orange County’s 45th District, Democratic labor rights activist Derek Tran has raised about $2 million, and Republican Rep. Michelle Steel has raised $1.3 million, including $1 million from herself. reported.
This signifies the weakening influence of former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, and the rise of California Democratic Reps. Peter Aguilar and Ted Lieu to become chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the House Democratic Caucus. Democratic strategist Gary South said.
“For Democrats to take back the House, they have to flip these seats,” he said.
But fundraising by candidates is only part of the money game.
The Congressional Leadership Fund, a huge Republican political action committee tied to House Speaker Johnson, plans to spend a total of $40 million in California’s battleground states, more than in any other state, it said. A representative confirmed to CalMatters.
“California remains a critical battleground in maintaining our House majority, which is why we have made such a large and comprehensive investment in the state,” Dan Conston, president of the group, said in a statement. Ta.
The Democratic counterpart, House Majority PAC, has also booked more than $40 million in advertising across the state, said spokeswoman Alisha Henn.
“House Democrats are well-positioned and have momentum. We intend to turn the House blue and elect Hakeem Jeffries Speaker in November,” he said in a statement.
Similar conflicts are unfolding between the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arms of House Democrats and Republicans.
As of last week, House Democrats spent $6.3 million airing ads in California’s Central Valley district, and then went on to target their conservative “Project 2025” policy strategy in 27 battleground states across the country (6 in California). launched a mobile billboard campaign in the district (including the district).
“California’s challengers are outperforming the competition in raising money and meeting voters,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Dan Gottlieb said in a statement.
As of last week, the Republican Party had spent $4 million on advertising in four districts in the Central Valley and northern Los Angeles County, according to federal campaign finance filings.
“California House Republicans have built strong fundraising totals this term. Our message resonates with voters, and we are making significant investments to reach them in the final stages,” said spokesperson Ben. Petersen said.
“The road to becoming a speaker goes through California.”
Jack Pitney, Professor of Political Science, Claremont McKenna College
Others are also entering the fray.
America PAC, a pro-Donald Trump super PAC founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has raised 300 votes to boost Republican support in three California House races, according to OpenSecret data. They spent $1,000,000, more than any other state. Cryptocurrency-related super PACs have also invested millions of dollars to support Republican incumbents in three California battleground districts, including $2.8 million for Steele, $1.3 million for Valadao, and Mike Garcia. He has invested $1 million in the congressman, POLITICO reported.
But experts say advertising by outside groups is not always as cost-effective as candidates’ own spending. They noted that political groups other than candidates must pay higher advertising rates, in some cases in California’s most expensive television market.
“We’re talking about advertising in Los Angeles, but a super PAC acquisition for a congressional race can cost $2.5 million in TV viewing for a week,” Republican consultant John Fleischman said. .
Also, attack ads funded by outside organizations can be highly negative, risking turning voters away, strategists say.
“Voters don’t read the fine print. They don’t read disclaimers on ads,” South said. “All of these negative ads are basically attributed to that candidate by voters, not some outside PAC you’ve never heard of.”
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