Republicans are spending $20 million in digital ads to save the House
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The Congressional Leadership Fund has spent $20 million this cycle on digital ads targeting voters on hyper-local issues, like a salmon hatchery in Seattle and the gas tax in California. That's ten times what they spent on digital in 2016.
Why it matters: CLF believes they can save the House majority by localizing their 40 targeted districts — even at a time when President Trump is making all politics national.
Be smart: There's very little evidence this will work. But Republicans are banking on getting a couple extra percentage points in really tough races from this strategy — particularly in appealing to Republican voters who don't like President Trump.
By the numbers: CLF has identified 120 different voter groups across the country to target with these messages, and they've been contacting them since Feb. 2017.
- For example, they say they're targeting 55,000 voters in Nebraska's second district with a message about the local Air Force Base.
The other side: The Democratic equivalent of CLF, the House Majority PAC, teamed up with another group, Priorities USA, to spend $12 million on digital this cycle.