Super PACs are dominating the air waves in Iowa in the run up to the state's caucus, the first time that Republican voters will get to cast their ballot in the 2012 GOP presidential primary. According to numbers tallied by the Des Moines Register, super PACs accounted for approximately 45 percent of all television advertising purchased for the primary. Much of that money is coming from the pro-Mitt Romney super PAC, Restore Our Future, in the form of negative ads targeting Newt Gingrich. [DMR]
NBC's First Read tallies more recent numbers showing a major boost in spending by Rick Perry in the state. Perry has spent $4.4 million on television advertising in Iowa. That is bolstered by the $1.6 million spent by his affiliated super PAC, Make Us Great Again. [NBC]
Winning Our Future, the pro-Newt super PAC supposedly financed by casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, is set to go up with a $250,000 ad buy in Iowa to counter the massive spending from Romney's super PAC. [Politico]
Some super PACs, meanwhile, are still trying to find their purpose in life. [Roll Call]
Ben Nelson just retired from the Senate. And with that went the more than $1.5 million spent by Dems to help reelect him. Republicans groups get to toot their horn after piling on Nelson with hundreds of thousands, if not more, in negative ads in an attempt to force him out of the race. [HuffPost]
The Six Sigma promoting super PAC, Strong America Now, is spending $79,519 on mailers opposing Mitt Romney and supporting Newt Gingrich in Iowa.
CAMPAIGN VIDEOS
Help us populate our list of campaign videos. Send any notable TV, radio or web ads that you see to Fundrace. Send your submissions to paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.
Committee: Newt Gingrich for President
Spot: "Winning the Argument" -- Newt Gingrich is really great at debates. That has been the consensus among the media and even among Gingrich's opponents throughout 2011. This ad highlights moments in the GOP debates, which propelled Gingrich's debt-ridden campaign to this point, where Gingrich roused crowds and got his opponents to nod their heads in agreement with him.
Link: [http://youtu.be/Gt5Tn3xax5I]
Market: Iowa.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Winning Our Future
Spot: "20 to 1" -- The recently constituted pro-Newt Gingrich super PAC goes up with it's first ad of the cycle. This one calls out the negativity of the pro-Romney Restore Our Future PAC noting that Gingrich has been out spent 20 to 1 in Iowa. The ad then touts Gingrich's radical ideas about the judiciary and makes some bold claims about his speakership (created 11 million new jobs, balanced the budget).
Link: [http://youtu.be/M_J4YqSQ9ZE]
Market: Iowa.
Buy: ~$250,000.
Committee: Rick Perry for President
Spot: "Part-Time Congress" -- Rick Perry's idea to create a massive imbalance of power in Washington--a part-time Congress--takes center stage in this ad. The ad knocks Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, and Rick Santorum for serving in Congress, "If Washington is the problem, why trust a congressman to fix it?"
Link: [http://youtu.be/2LN7PpNxXsY]
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.
TRACKING INDEPENDENT SPENDING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE:
These numbers represent spending by independent groups, like super PACs and non-profits, to support or oppose a particular candidate for the presidency in 2012. Fundrace will update this spending daily to help show which candidates are gaining from the proliferation of independent groups in this coming election.
Rick Perry (R), $3,798,524 to support, $0 to oppose. (+$876,530)
Newt Gingrich (R), $266,323 to support, $2,601,770 to oppose. (+$79,519 support)
Jon Huntsman (R), $1,864,956 to support, $0 to oppose.
Herman Cain (R), $462,217 to support, $0 to oppose.
Barack Obama (D), $0 to support, $374,481 to oppose.
Mitt Romney (R), $0 to support, $329,473 to oppose.
Rick Santorum (R), $325,950 to support, $0 to oppose.
Gary Johnson (R), $518 to support, $0 to oppose.
RECENT INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES
Strong America Now, $40,552 to support Newt Gingrich for President.
Strong America Now, $38,967 to support Newt Gingrich for President.
Make Us Great Again, $876,530 to support Rick Perry for President.
RECENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS
SEMO Democratic Rally Committee PAC, Dexter, Mo., Treasurer: Jerry Howard.
Real Leader PAC, New York, N.Y., Treasurer: Robert Perkins. (Super PAC)
1911 United, Washington, D.C., Treasurer: Sinclair Skinner. (Super PAC)
American Courage, Boca Raton, Fla., Treasurer: Richard Kwal.
Send tips, hints, submissions, rumors to HuffPost Fundrace at paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.