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That big state party spend might be the best thing Democrats could ever do for themselves in the long term. I remember reading about how Obama in 2009 transformed his campaign into the group Organizing for America--only for so little of it to be turned into state party funds. One could even blame the Dems’ House losses in 2010 on that. It was the same issue with the Clinton campaign in 2016

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I don’t think $400K is going to cut it in Florida, but ok. Rick Scott’s senate seat might actually be winnable. He’s never won by more than 1 point, and he’s concerned right now.

I wonder, did they gag and tie up Jen O’Malley in order to cough up some money for Florida? Sorry for sounding bitter, but I am bitter. I hold her accountable for single-handedly selling Florida out by focusing on the beloved rust states back in 2020, and now she was doing it again by announcing a few weeks ago that they don’t spend any money in Florida. Like they can’t walk & chew gum at the same time. (I mean, they can claim fighting climate change and handing out drilling leases like there’s no tomorrow, so, they clearly can do the walking/chewing thing when they want to.)

I hope they’re throwing everything they can at Osborn in Nebraska, Tester in Montana, the guy in Texas running against odious Ted Cruz, and of course Sherrod Brown and others. If we lose the senate, the Supreme Court will go completely ape shit crazy with yet another federalist wanker. Because, my favorite justice, beloved Sonia Sotomayor, is probably going to want to retire soon, and then what?

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Gabe,

I think the targeted spending in W. Palm Beach and Philly was more far reaching than 'trolling a single viewer'. Had I been living or visiting there and seen the ad, I'd have told others and reached out to friends in need of some nudging away from blatant prevarication and true taunts. I believe the word 'stunts' applies to the maga-gop more readily than to the current dems. With those two observations I must say all the intense money grubbing has always made me question our sense of democracy, but this year takes the cake. Good report, but if you choose to go past journalism into the opinion area, my call would be to question the need to fundraise at all.

Keep up the good work!

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Interesting breakdown and explanation of how ad buying works. Thanks Gabe.

Those numbers - wow. I wish campaigns cost a lot less and that money could be used on much needed social programs. I mean I know those are entirely separate categories but still.

I think the short time frame that Harris ended up with shows very clearly that campaigns can - and should - be legally mandated to be only a few months long rather than the crazy, mentally numbing years that we have now. Shorter campaigns would create a sharper focus all around and not numb out the public nor allow the campaigner to flood everyone with endless bullshit.

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