Source: Politics
The political race for eyeballs during the World Cup continued this week, with a total of at least $2.1 million spent on ads by campaigns, committees and causes so far through all matches as of Friday, according to an analysis by AdImpact for POLITICO.
Stronger America, an issue advocacy 501(c)(4) organization aligned with Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, emerged as the biggest spender of the World Cup so far, dropping $287,500 through matches so far. Pine Tree Results PAC, also aligned with Collins, has spent $123,000 through matches. Collins’ campaign itself spent $25,000 on ads, while Graham Platner’s campaign, meanwhile, spent $3,500.
Those are some of the latest signs that Maine’s marquee Senate race between Collins and Democrat oysterman Graham Platner is as ubiquitous in the Maine media markets as hydration breaks during this tournament. It’s a race that Senate Republicans’ campaign arm has called “the linchpin” in “this year’s fight for control of the Senate.” One recent poll revealed a narrow lead for Platner and another a slight edge for Collins.
The battle for control of the Senate has been a defining feature of the World Cup ad wars so far: One Nation, the Senate GOP leadership-aligned group, spent $122,150 through the round of 32. (AdImpact cautioned totals could change as spending still trickles in.)
House Majority Forward, the nonprofit aligned with House Democratic leadership, has dumped $76,155 into ads during matches.
And United Democracy Project, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee super PAC at the center of Democratic primary battles across the map this year, has spent $117,200.
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