Florida to be Swamped by Political Ads
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Posted: 12:36 AM Jan 5, 2012
Florida to be Swamped by Political Ads
Welcome to the Florida Primary campaign -- viewer discretion advised.
Reporter: Troy Kinsey
Email Address: news@wctv.tv

Florida to be Swamped by Political Ads
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Tallahassee, FL - Welcome to the Florida Primary campaign -- viewer discretion advised.

As attention shifts from Iowa, an unprecedented advertising blitz is being prepped by political interests in the state of Florida.

With costs in the upper 10 million dollar threshold, political advertisements on TV, radio and the Internet will begin popping up and eventually inundating the critical voting state with a flurry of political prose and ample negativity.

The ads are expected to be at an unprecedented intensity not usually seen until the run-up to the general election.

Who pays for these ads? Not the candidates

Interestingly, the ads won't be the work of the presidential candidate's campaigns themselves. In fact, the air time isn't even being bought by the candidates.

"'Restore Our Future' is responsible for the content of our message," one political ad said.

Restore Our Future -- a pro-Romney group -- and 'Winning Our Future' -- a pro-Gingrich group -- are snapping up ad space.

Unlike the campaigns, the political action committees (PACs) are allowed to raise an unlimited amount of money to support their candidates, but not for their candidates.

The ability to act on behalf of, but not for, is thanks to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision. The effect could mean the likely nasty battle over the airwaves.

The inundation of the public conscious the ads create a sense of anathema in many voters. The sentiment isn't necessarily looked on as a bad thing for the ad makers -- they don't want you to vote.

The ads are aimed at building voter doubt about the candidate they're attacking.

If a campaign ran those kinds of ads, it might take heat for going exponentially negative.

Political action committees do the dirty work, take the heat

But, it's not the campaigns. It's the outside groups doing the leg work and taking the heat off the candidates, as the heat is put on the other candidates with their ads.

Under the same law that allows the groups to support their candidates, it is stated the two entities can't coordinate their efforts.

Political strategist Kevin Cate said that aspect of the law is rarely followed.

"These ads rank up there with a 12-year-old telling his mother that he didn't eat a cookie when he has crumbs all over his hands and his face," Cate deadpanned. "These are straight from the candidates. They know it's not credible information or else they'd put their name behind it. That's what these PACs do."

And the PACs won't ease up after the January 31 GOP presidential primary. As a critical voting state, Florida is in for the long haul through the general election later in 2012.

The cost of doing political ad business in Fla.

Typically, $1 million will buy you a week's worth of advertising statewide.

Restore Our Future has bought that amount and it's almost a guarantee the group will scoop a whole lot more in the coming days. The PAC is believed to be better funded as it spent $3 million on TV ads leading up to the Iowa caucuses


Latest Comments

Posted by: Anonymous on Jan 5, 2012 at 01:31 PM

none of the candidates have any character.
Posted by: Bobby on Jan 5, 2012 at 12:34 PM

Remember the $75 millions of ads baldy ran in 2010. You get what you pay for.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jan 5, 2012 at 09:19 AM

Makes me glad that I don't watch television. I can find out anything I want about any candidate via the www, and without those stupid negative ads.
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