Obama Spends $350K On Ads In Omaha, Versus McCain's Zero

It is an unlikely scenario, but one the Obama campaign has been prepping for. If the Democratic Senator wins every state won by John Kerry in the 2004 election, plus Iowa, New Mexico and Nevada, he and John McCain would be tied at 269 electoral votes.

Obama, however, has an ace in the hole. His campaign has been pouring resources into Omaha, Nebraska, in hopes of getting that one additional electoral vote from a state that divvies them up by congressional district.

To date, the Obama campaign has spent $350,000 on television advertisements in that market compared to zero from the McCain campaign, according to Evan Tracey of the Campaign Media Analysis Group. Obama also has 15 paid staffers on the ground in a state that hasn't voted Democratic since Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and hasn't had a Democrat seriously compete within its borders since Bobby Kennedy's Nebraska train tour in 1968.

"The presence of the campaign here is historic in and of itself," said an Obama aide.

Matt Connealy, executive director of the Nebraska Democratic Party, set the bar a bit higher: "I think we will come close in Lincoln. If we keep doing what we are doing in the next couple weeks, we may even flip the congressional district in Omaha."

Connealy's outlook is, in all likelihood, overly optimistic. Democratic operatives say that while Obama has made inroads in the state, Nebraska is still decidedly conservative. And while Omaha has a demographic makeup more favorably disposed to the Illinois Democrat than other areas, the district includes suburban areas that have been majority Republican for some time.

There are several developments that could help tip the scale. Warren Buffet, the oracle of Omaha, has endorsed Obama and donated money to his candidacy. More political help from the famed-investor - like say, an appearance alongside him in Nebraska - could sway some minds. The same holds true with Nebraska's Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, who has sat on the sidelines throughout the election despite, on occasion, spouting off critical words of John McCain and complimentary takes on Obama.

As it stands now, the Obama team is working off a game plan that doesn't rely on flipping a Nebraska congressional district (the McCain campaign, too, is looking to peel off a district in Maine, which also allocates its electoral votes proportionally). And Obama's spending there pales in comparison to the investments he has made in actual swing states. But with an abundance of resources, they are liberated to take into mind any, however unlikely, hypothetical election outcome. And they aren't leaving many stones unturned.

"We can compete in traditionally Republican strongholds like Nebraska because voters across the country are ready for change and can't afford four more years of the same failed Bush policies that John McCain is offering," said Obama's Nebraska spokeswoman Erin Fitzgerald.

Comments

[theone718]

Sam Stein UPDATE YOUR ARTICLE, Palin WILL be going to Omaha. With only 30 days left the VP candidate is going to..........................NEBRASKA!?!?!?

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10450797

[theone718]

BREAKING NEWS!!!: Sarah Palin will be heading to Omaha on monday! That just TELLS you exactly what those internals are for the Mac camp. To have your VP go to NEBRASKA with only 30 days left in the election? They must have seen some trouble.

[theone718]

Correction, Sunday not monday.

[Hotshortie]

I would cry tears of pride if Nebraska voted for Obama.

It would mean that there are no RED States
No Blue States
Just the United States!!!!

[dutchman]

I think there's a real chance that Omaha and Lincoln will go for Obama, but the rest of the state is as republican as it gets. There is some anger still at McCain for supporting immigration reform (very unpopular in the Cornhusker State), but - sadly - Palin has struck a chord with many of the locals. Not too long ago, Nebraska still had a majority favorably opinion of Bush.

[arugularose]

Let's hear it for the hard-working volunteers in Nebraska. I am from Texas and now live in Michigan. (Been going door to door and now we are celebrating McCain hightailing it out of here.) I would love to see some of our red states open up a little. Because of how it allocates votes Nebraska creates a great opportunity for a very symbolic moment. I think it would be very good for the country to see Obama doing well even in Republican strongholds-- more important symbolically than even the one vote-- I would love to see a blue spot in Nebraska on election night! Keep it up!

[klondiker]

I have a lot of confidence in Obama's organization. The polls may be close now, but I think there are some some things that Obama has done really well, such as, voter registration (which continues until Monday, so GET THE WORD OUT!!!), which should help Obama (and Dems in congressional races, in general).

Looking forward to November 5th!!

[Thomei]

T. Boone Pickens has turned from negative ads to positive energy ads that fit well into the Obama talking points. Perhaps this year history will be made in a big way for the good of the country, even in Nebraska.

[reliant1]

I am out here in western Ne...the reddest of red areas. It would not surprise me at all if Obama takes Omaha/Lincoln.

What I am waiting to see is how the west votes. My little town has a smattering of Dems - always active and the town is always covered with lawn signs and bumper stickers and I am here to tell you there isn't one lawn sign for either candidate to be found here. I drove around yesterday and saw 10 for the mayor - that's about 1000 lawn signs short of what we would see in the past.

No one is publically talking politics - I don't know what that means but I'm guessing there will be more Dem votes this year and far fewer Repubs even voting.

An old rancher in an old diner...filled with old mismatched tables and chairs and the best biscuits and gravy to be had...told me (in an almost whisper) that lots of folk would say they were voting McCain if asked but will be pulling the lever for Obama

[Gary47]

Gobama! If you get an electoral vote out of Nebraska I'll go wild with delight. I will be staggeringly impressed!

[thoughtful3]

I was born and raised in Omaha. I went to dental school in Lincoln. I've lived in Chicago the last five years, but I can tell you, Obama does have a real chance in that district. My mother and one of my aunts are already volunteering for the campaign there.

[EvoMan]

The same strategy payed off in the primaries. I'm not sure he needs to worry about a tie the way things are going.

[Whatgoingon]

Thats a waste of money. Unless you're a black man playing for the Cornhuskers, they really have no need for u.

[Diogenis]

I have many acquaintances in Omaha....and it appears the negative Obama adds on tv..have them convinced in favor of McCrooked

[billrott]

Got to give it to Obama, the guy knows how to run a campaign.

[Degringolade]

I'm really rooting for Obama to give just one speech there. I think it would be great to campaign sooo deeply in red territory. John would blow a blood vessel.
I do understand the value of concentrating resources in the must-wins. But there is something to be said for sending a shot across the bow this late in the campaign.

[roshni]

O.K. - I've been convinced to donate again to the O campaign. Rout out the rethugs.

[OB08]

I will send my donation in too.