The Democrats want the House of Representative back in their column, and are dedicating 2013 to softening up 10 Republican members they would like to unseat in 2014. Broadcast adverting will be part of the strategy. And of course, Republicans have their targets too.
Democrats picked up seats in the election just passed, but not enough to change their committee ranking members to chairs.
The House Majority PAC is determined to complete the job it only began in 2012, and it will need a pick-up of 17 seats. It is kicking the effort off by going after 10 Republicans early and often, adding others to its list as time goes on.
According to Politico, here are the targeted ten”
* Gary Miller (R-CA)
* Mike Coffman (R-CO)
* Steve Southerland (R-FL)
* Rodney Davis(R-IL)
* Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
* John Kline (R-MN)
* Michael Grimm (R-NY)
* Joe Heck (R-NV)
* David Joyce (R-OH)
* Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
The National Republican Congressional Committee has no intention of letting the Democrats chip away at its advantage, and in fact has plans to hold what it has and take a few seats away from the opposition.
According to Policio, NRCC has already made a target list as well, including:
* Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ)
* Ron Barber (D-AZ)
* John Barrow (D-GA)
* Collin Peterson (D-MN)
* Mike McIntyre (D-NC)
* Jim Matheson (D-UT)
* Nick Rahall (D-WV)
RBR-TVBR observation: The political category is not limited to the weeks just ahead of an election. Personally, we are happy to note that no candidates have yet announced plans to run for president in 2016 (although that hasn’t stopped the punditocracy from speculating), but 2014 is already under way.
Of course, off-year spending will pale in comparison to political endgame spending, but with one campaign beginning almost as soon as the last one ended, there is always the prospect of some political income, especially for stations located in perennial battleground districts.
