Presidential candidates and the cash-rich super PACs that support them reportedly went on a $6.5 million spending spree in Iowa, buying more than 10,000 political television ads ahead of the first-in-the-nation caucus voting February 1.
The Guardian reports its study
combed over regulatory filings by four commercial TV stations in Des Moines.
TV executives tell the newspaper super PAC spending is at record levels in Iowa, in part, due to the 2010 Citizens United ruling that removed limits on how much wealthy individuals can contribute.
According to the Guardian analysis, on the Republican side:
- Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is the spending leader, with his campaign and super PACs forking over a total of $1,926,975 for 3,373 ads in Des Moines.
- Front-runner Donald Trump has spent $218,840 for 828 TV ads in the Des Moines market.
- Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and his super-PAC have spent $819,610 for 737 spots.
On the Democratic side, the analysis showed:
- Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders spent $603,973 for 1,862 spots in the market.
- Hillary Clinton's campaign spent $522,025 for 1,687 commercials.
"This is the first time in eight years that it's an open race for both parties," Dale Woods, general manager of the Des Moines NBC affiliate, WHO, tells the Guardian.
"In 2012 there were just three or four leading Republicans. Now you have a close race on both the Republican and Democratic sides."
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