Wow: DSCC giving up on ads for Mitch McConnell's opponent in Kentucky

The DSCC is, of course, the Democratic counterpart to the NRSC. They pour millions into Senate races around the country to help make Democratic candidates competitive.

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And once one of those candidates stops being competitive, they walk away.

After a significant investment in support of Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, the DSCC had not reserved time for the final three weeks of the race and, as of today, is no longer on the air.

“The DSCC has now spent more than 2 million in Kentucky and continues to make targeted investments in the ground game while monitoring the race for future investments, but is currently not on the air in the state,” a DSCC official told CQ Roll Call…

As it seeks to keep Republicans from picking up six seats and the Senate majority, the DSCC’s independent expenditure unit may see a better opportunity in Georgia, where it just purchased significant advertising time.

I’m surprised, although I guess I shouldn’t be. Grimes was, by all accounts, solid in last night’s Senate debate and trails McConnell by only four points in the RCP poll average. But as Twitter pals are noting, it’s a steady four points. And four points is more than you’d think:

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She’s not moving the needle, especially after the embarrassing spectacle of her serial dodging about whether she voted for O two years ago. In a better electoral environment, with Democrats on offense, the DSCC would go all-in for her as a relatively solid longshot to catch McConnell in the last two weeks. As it is, with the Dems in retreat everywhere and ad money scarce, they need to be choosy about which of the wounded they try to save. Michele Nunn has a name brand in Georgia and is tied with David Perdue in one recent Georgia poll; Kay Hagan is clinging to an unlikely one- or two-point lead in North Carolina; and Mary Landrieu needs all the help she can get to hold Bill Cassidy under 51 percent and make it to the Louisiana runoff. The DSCC’s making a tough choice here — leave Grimes for dead and try to save candidates who are more likely to survive if rescued. The next few weeks will bring more decisions like that. Schadenfreude quotient: Sky high.

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In memoriam of Grimes 2014, here’s her new ad accusing Mitch McConnell of being an amnesty shill. Warms my heart to see Democrats using arguments like that, even if we all understand and accept that Grimes herself would greenlight any terrible immigration bill her party asked her to. In lieu of an exit question, place your bets in the comments: Who’s the next Democrat to be left for dead by the party’s money men? They’re especially reluctant to give up on Senate incumbents, I’d imagine, if only because conceding a seat you currently hold sends such a discouraging signal to the base, but have a look at the poll trends in Arkansas and Alaska. How much longer do they give Pryor and Begich to make a move before they pull the plug?

Update: Probably not a good sign for a campaign, huh?

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David Strom 11:20 AM | April 24, 2024
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