Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting Mitt Romney, may begin airing ads in Iowa soon. The group has been quiet all year since reporting $12.2 million in contributions in July. Now, the group is reportedly looking into ad rates at Iowa television stations. [WSJ]
Yesterday, after announcing more than half-a-million dollars in expenditures Make Us Great Again, a super PAC supporting Rick Perry, became the top spending candidate super PAC in the nation. The group, which is run by Perry's former chief of staff, passed the pro-Jon Huntsman Our Destiny PAC to take the top spot. [iWatch]
Politico profiles some of the major names in the world of super PACs.
Rick Perry called some of his biggest donors in the months leading up to his presidential decision from the phone in his governor's office. [AP]
Did Newt Gingrich break campaign finance laws by failing to report that he gave himself $42,000 to repay a campaign loan? [TPM]
Ron Paul comes to Mitt Romney's aid with the launch of a blistering sixty-second ad targeting Newt Gingrich, now the frontrunner in Iowa. The ad is set to run in Iowa as early as tomorrow. [HuffPost]
Emily's List, the progressive group supporting female candidates, stated that they will air ads for Massachusetts Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren soon. The ads will likely come from the Emily's List super PAC, Women Vote!, which spent $7.2 million in the 2010 election. [The Hill]
Campaign ads are way down from the last presidential cycle. In 2007 Iowans had already been subject to 26,037 campaign ads. This year that number is only 8,697. [NYT]
GOP presidential gadfly Buddy Roemer has this to say about Jon Huntsman's super PAC, which is largely funded by Huntsman's father: "The law is that the super PAC must be independent of the candidate. It says it clearly in the Supreme Court ruling, called Citizens United. Is that independent? I mean I have a big imagination but I just can't imagine that father and son don't talk."
CAMPAIGN VIDEOS
Help us populate our list of campaign videos. Send any notable TV, radio or web ads that you see to Fundrace. We also have a thing for terrible historical campaign ads so please send along your favorites. Send your submissions to paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.
Committee: Ron Paul for President
Candidate opposed: Newt Gingrich
Spot: "Newt Gingrich Serial Hypocrisy" -- The Ron Paul campaign cut a 60 second version of their anti-Gingrich video released on the web last week and plans on airing it in Iowa soon. The ad viciously attacks Gingrich for receiving money to lobby and consult for Freddie Mac and advocating for a health care mandate while taking money from health insurance companies.
Link: [http://youtu.be/1Jzi3HBCS2M]
Market: Iowa
Buy: Undisclosed
Committee: Democratic National Committee
Candidate opposed: Mitt Romney
Spot: "Mitt Romney Flips on the Payroll Tax Cut" -- Part of the never-ending attacks on Romney from the DNC, this web video features two statements from the GOP candidate. One of the statements has Romney claiming to be against a "temporary little Band-Aid" like the payroll tax cut. The other has Romney stating, "I would like to see the payroll tax cut extended."
Link: [http://youtu.be/2uN46DsfkbM]
Market: YouTube
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: American Bridge
Candidate opposed: Mitt Romney
Spot: "Will Romney Run From His '07 RJC Speech" -- The oppo research super PAC dumps this clip of Romney appearing before the Republican Jewish Coalition in 2007 and explaining how the nation would benefit from the health care plan he enacted in Massachusetts, mandate and all. This comes as the Republican candidates are set to speak at the RJC on Wednesday.
Link: [http://youtu.be/sCkFJqCzSW0]
Market: YouTube
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: Americans United
Candidate opposed: Mitt Romney
Spot: "Romney-Gekko 2012: It's Morning Again On Wall Street" -- In this parody video the progressive group Americans United ties Romney and the fictional Wall Street villain Gordon Gekko together to imagine a White House that loosens Wall Street regulations and does little for the middle class. The video features the now infamous picture of a young Romney looking the part of corporate raider with wads of cash in his hands while dressed in a nice dark suit.
Link: [http://youtu.be/mju_2nHep_s]
Market: YouTube
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: Scott Walker
Candidate supported: Scott Walker
Spot: "Education" -- The third ad from Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in his bid to fight off a recall challenge features a 4th grade teacher explaining that Walker's budget reforms helped save the education system. The teacher claims, "I don't agree with Gov. Walker on everything, but thanks to his budget reforms hundreds of teachers, like me, still have their jobs."
Link: [http://youtu.be/ol81R4HqUAM]
Market: Unknown
Buy: Undisclosed
TRACKING OUTSIDE SPENDING:
Rick Perry (R), $1,472,681 to support, $0 to oppose.
Jon Huntsman (R), $1,455,473 to support, $0 to oppose.
Herman Cain (R), $512,217 to support, $0 to oppose. (+$50,000)
Barack Obama (D), $0 to support, $357,929 to oppose.
Mitt Romney (R), $0 to support, $306,229 to oppose.
Gary Johnson (R), $518 to support, $0 to oppose.
RECENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS
LAPAC, Washington, D.C., Treasurer: Vincent Eng. (Leadership PAC: Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif.)
Republican Truth Squad, Atlanta, Ga., Treasurer: William Greene. (Super PAC)
RECENT INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES
9-9-9 Fund, $50,000 to support Herman Cain for President.
Send tips, hints, submissions, rumors to HuffPost Fundrace at paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.