The substantial gap between how much Democrats have on hand to spend for television campaign ads versus how much cash is in Republican coffers is why a GOP Senate majority remains in doubt, writes veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove in
The Wall Street Journal.
Democrats have been raising more money than Republicans and have $25 million on hand compared to $20 million for Republicans. They have committed or spent $109 million in political commercials versus $80 million for the Republicans since the beginning of September. The president continues to bring in big bucks for the Democrats, Rove writes.
Urgent: Who Is Your Choice for the GOP's 2016 Nominee?
Rove, who raises money for Republican candidates through his American Crossroads/Crossroads GPS, writes that while GOP totals could yet rise and the Democratic advantage could well be narrowed, Republicans need to close the gap.
For now, he writes, Democrats are spending more in such key senatorial races as Alaska ($6.4 million to $3.6 million), Arkansas ($6.2 million to $4.6 million), Colorado ($8.5 million to $7 million), Iowa, ($8.5 million to $5.6 million), Louisiana ($5.7 million to $5.6 million) and North Carolina ($17.6 million to $7.8 million).
"Republicans do not need to outspend Democrats to prevail," but they do need to "reach a certain sufficiency of advertising in the next six weeks," he writes.
To win, Republican candidates have to effectively defend themselves. For instance, they have to be able to address Democratic charges that the GOP has conducted a "war on women."
In Alaska, Colorado and North Carolina, GOP candidates have done just that by advocating over-the-counter contraceptives.
GOP candidates need to explain that to check Barack Obama's agenda there has to be a Republican Senate majority, Rove writes.
Beyond that, Republicans have to articulate "a positive, optimistic conservative agenda" that will attract independent voters unhappy with the president.
If Republicans don't "open their wallets," Rove concludes, let them get ready "for two more years of Majority Leader Harry Reid."
Urgent: Who Is Your Choice for the GOP's 2016 Nominee?
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