WATCH: Pre-Election Day Ad From Arizona Senators McCain and Kyl Shredding Gabrielle Giffords

Arizona Senator John McCain spent some of his excess campaign cash and made ads supporting Republican candidates for three of the contested House races shortly before election day. In this one, McCain and Kyl simply stand in front of the camera and explain why they think Gabrielle Giffords is wrong for Arizonans.

TRANSCRIPT:
McCain: While Arizona families have struggled, Gabrielle Giffords voted for the failed, liberal Pelosi-Obama agenda.
Kyl: She voted for the failed stimulus package and Obamacare, and received a grade of "F" from the National Taxpayers Union for supporting so much spending and debt.
McCain:  Gabrielle Giffords is out of step with Arizona. That's why we need Jesse Kelly in Congress. I'm John McCain, and I approve this message.



The McCain campaign's failure to timely report this ad (and similar ones made against Reps. Raul Grijalva and Harry Mitchell) appears to violate campaign finance laws and is the subject of a complaint with the FEC filed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

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WATCH: Collection of TV Ads In Gabrielle Giffords vs. Jesse Kelly Campaign; Sens. McCain and Kyl Slam Giffords Just Before Election Day

Regular readers of this blog know that we tried to post videos of as many of the campaign ads as possible, concentrating on the "independent expenditure" ads - those funded by outside groups without coordination with either of the candidates.  Here are a few that demonstrate the heated rhetoric in the final days of GOP candidate Jesse Kelly's effort to unseat incumbent Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-CD8). 

1) "Controversial "McCain Ads" For McClung, Kelly" (posted Oct. 21)
Arizona Senator John McCain spends some of his extra campaign cash and makes ads supporting Republican candidates for three of the contested House races.  In this one, McCain and Kyl simply stand in front of the camera and explain why they think Gabrielle Giffords is wrong for Arizonans.  (The McCain campaign's failure to timely report these ads appears to violate campaign finance laws and is the subject of a complaint with the FEC filed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.)



2) "Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Ad Running Attacking Jesse Kelly Re: Social Security" (posted Oct. 23)


Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (CD8) began running the following ad this week, hammering GOP challenger Jesse Kelly for his earlier comments supporting privatizing Social Security:


3) "60 Plus Association Ad Lumping Together Reps. Giffords and Grijalva"
The 60 Plus Association made another major ad buy in southern Arizona today, spending $130,000 to produce and run an ad urging a no vote on Democratic incumbent Reps. Gabrielle Giffords (CD8) and Raul Grijalva (CD7).



 
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FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS: McCain Makes Last Minute Robo-Calls Across Southern Arizona

Out of habit, I checked the FEC's database this a.m.  Not many 24-hour reports being filed today.  One of the few is that the Friends of John McCain spent several thousand dollars yesterday for robo-calls (aka "message phone calls") on behalf of GOP challengers Ruth McClung (CD7) and Jesse Kelly (CD8). Spent $3,292.40 and $3,923.58, respectively.

This brings McCain's totals on behalf of the two challenging Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords to $102,963.21 and $97,447.62, respectively.



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VIEW: Classic! AZ Dems (Openly) Send Out Mailer To Republicans Touting Libertarian Candidate In CD8

That is something out of the ordinary.  The Arizona Democratic Party sent out a mailer - presumably to Republicans and/or Independents - introducing them to Libertarian nominee Steve Stoltz, "The Real Conservative".  Democratic incumbent Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (Dem, CD8) and GOP nominee Jesse Kelly are locked in a tight battle.

They did not ask people to vote for him - at least not on the front side as shown by the Arizona Daily Star, and the mailer clearly identifies that it is coming from the Democrats.  If they had formed some fake group and hidden their support, that would be sleazy.

Here's the Star's article, and their J-peg of the front side of the mailer.


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WATCH: Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Ad Running Attacking Jesse Kelly Re: Social Security

Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (CD8) began running the following ad this week, hammering GOP challenger Jesse Kelly for his earlier comments supporting privatizing Social Security:

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FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS: NRCC Buys $750,000 Arizona Ad Time On Friday

Another big spending Friday for the national Republicans, as the NRCC ("National Republican Congressional Committee") sent three-quarters of a million dollars to Arizona to bolster their hopes of unseating Reps. Harry Mitchell (CD5) and Ann Kirkpatrick (CD1).  $303,078.68 to attack Mitchell, and $452,910.40 to attack Kirkpatrick (and positively mention challenger Paul Gosar).

Elsewhere, the Sierra Club bought a $180,361.33 TV ad supporting Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (Dem., CD8). (see accompanying post)

A group calling itself "Protecting America's Retirees" paid $30,000 ($29,559.67, to be exact) for a TV ad supporting Rep. Raul Grijalva (Dem., CD7).

Tucson's radio stations also sold some ad time yesterday.  "Defenders of Wildlife" spent $12,500.00 on a radio ad for Grijalva, and Citizenlink (formerly known as "Focus On the Family") bought time on KNST and KIIM, to the total tune of $6,711.21.

Several groups took to the mail on Friday:
1) Club For Growth spent $1,689.19 for Jesse Kelly (CD8) and $1,917.17 for David Schweikert (CD5).
2) America Votes dropped $14,633.21 into the mailbox favoring Grijalva.
3) "Women Vote!" spent $21,286.00 for mailer comparing Kirkpatrick and Gosar, and Giffords and Kelly.

Finally, "Blue America PAC" filed that they spent $2,000 ($1,998.00, to be exact) on "web ads" for Grijalva.





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WATCH: Controversial "McCain Ads" For McClung, Kelly

Sen. John McCain - apparently unconcerned about his own re-election prospects - is spending some of his large warchest to run ads supporting southern Arizona GOP congressional challengers Ruth McClung (CD7) and Jesse Kelly (CD8). These ads are the subject of a formal complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission ("FEC") by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. (Post to follow regarding disclosure issues. Here.)

McClung: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEDoaGQE8_I
Kelly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWYD1JuRYWw

FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS: McCain Campaign Claims It Filed Disclosures, None With The FEC

UPDATE: Moments ago, Friends of John McCain filed its required independent expenditure report with the FEC.  Details to come.


The "Friends of John McCain" ads featuring Sens. McCain and Kyl touting GOP congressional challengers Ruth McClung (CD7) and Jesse Kelly (CD8) have prompted the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ("DCCC") to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission ("FEC").

The complaint suggests that the ads violate campaign finance laws because they are either improper coordinated expenditures benefitting the challengers, or are unreported independent expenditures.

The McCain campaign has told reporters that the ads are neither.  To the Phoenix New Times, campaign spokesman Brian Rogers detailed how there was not coordination.  However, to the Washington Post, they indicate that the campaign did declare them as independent expenditures.  According to the Washington Post, the campaign released "documents showing that it reported the ads as "independent expenditures" to the Senate this week." As the Post next noted, the DCCC complaint states otherwise.

Arizona's Politics has not been able to find any evidence that "Friends of John McCain" reported anything to the FEC.  As readers of this blog know, Arizona's Politics follows the FEC's database of independent expenditures very closely.  Nothing was filed this week - or, in previous weeks.  Friends of John McCain did file its quarterly report last week.  It covers the period through September 30, 2010, so it is unlikely to include these new ads;  however, just to be safe, Arizona's Politics did search the 943-page report for "McClung" (and "Clung", just in case they inadvertently put in a space between the "Mc" and "Clung").  Nothing.

Likewise, Arizona's Politics could not find any evidence that the U.S. Senate has posted some report erroneously filed there.  Regardless, the McCain campaign no doubt knows that it is required to file the report with the FEC.




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WATCH: Controversial "McCain Ads" For McClung, Kelly

Sen. John McCain - apparently unconcerned about his own re-election prospects - is spending some of his large warchest to run ads supporting southern Arizona GOP congressional challengers Ruth McClung (CD7) and Jesse Kelly (CD8).  These ads are the subject of a formal complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission ("FEC") by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. (Post to follow regarding disclosure issues.)

FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS: Breakfast In Arizona As GOP-philics Work the Team Aspect; Dems Hammer On McClung

As we get closer to November, the independent expenditures on behalf of or against Congressional candidates will continue to increase. Arizona's Politics will check in regularly on the reports that these groups must submit to the Federal Election Commission.


Our previous reports on Independent Expenditures in Arizona's Congressional campaigns were posted October 20, October 19, October 16, October 15 x3, October 13, October 12, October 7, October 4, September 30, and September 28. In addition, on Saturday, we provided a "tote board" of the busy Friday.

The single biggest independent expenditure in Arizona congressional races yesterday was the first appearance of the Republican-philic (Dick Morris as pitcher) group "Superpac for America".  Their ad focuses on lumping together Democratic incumbents Harry Mitchell (CD5), Ann Kirkpatrick (CD1) and Gabrielle Giffords (CD8) as part of a team that should be tossed from the game.  (I saw it this a.m., shortly after saw that Ben Quayle is also running a "team" ad in CD3 against Jon Hulburd; more on that in a separate post.)  Superpac spent $17,980.00 on production, then made two separate ad buys (presumably, Phoenix and Tucson and/or Flagstaff) totaling $251,403.00.

Democrats and a supportive group spent more money attacking Ruth McClung in her CD7 race against incumbent Rep. Raul Grijalva.  The DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) spent $32,430.00 more on ad time, and the America's Families First Action Fund put $51,996.74 into a radio ad.

The Republican-philic group the Susan B. Anthony List sent out mailers attacking Mitchell, Grijalva and Giffords. In order, spending $9,484.14, $2,933.09, and $9,172.08.

Elsewhere in Republican-affiliated spending, the NRCC (National Republican Congressional Committee) put $16,545.00 more into its most recent ad attacking Mitchell.  Americans for Limited Government spent $29,602.18 on a mailer against Giffords, 60 Plus produced and mailed a piece against Grijalva for $6,606.32, and the NRA designed new pieces supporting Schweikert and Kelly at $642.86 each.


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FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS: Yesterday's Tote Board: Republicans ALMOST hit $1 Million, Did Pitch a Shutout

We filed four money reports on our "Following Money In Arizona's Politics" series yesterday/today, but did not really take a moment to stop and total them up until just now.  Quite the stunning result.  Republicans and Republican-affiliated groups filed expenditures NEARLY spent $1 Million dollars in the Grand Canyon State yesterday.  (Unfortunately, about 1/2 of that COULD be coming from undisclosed corporate contributions.) Democrats and their affiliated groups spent ZERO during the same period.

Please supply your own drum roll as we go to the tote (total) board............... $991,640.84!!!

Brief recap (check out the links for more detail):
1) NRCC spent $248,698.21 against Kirkpatrick, more than $382,000 against Mitchell.
2) NRA spent $25,555.58 for Kelly, $3,035.25 for Schweikert.
3) ATR spent more than $230,000 attacking Grijalva.
4) CFRW spent more than $112,000 attacking Giffords.
5) ATR spent $40,709.00 attacking Kirkpatrick.


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FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS: NRA Goes Postal, NRCC Sends Half-Million To Central and Northern AZ

As we get closer to November, the independent expenditures on behalf of or against Congressional candidates will continue to increase. Arizona's Politics will check in regularly on the reports that these groups must submit to the Federal Election Commission.



Our previous reports on Independent Expenditures in Arizona's Congressional campaigns were posted yesterday, October 13, October 12, October 7, October 4, September 30, and September 28.

Yesterday was a big day for Republicans and Republican-philic groups.  We previously discussed the quarter-million dollar ad buy targeting Rep. Raul Grijalva (Dem., CD7) and smaller efforts against Reps. Gabrielle Giffords (Dem., CD8) and Ann Kirkpatrick (Dem., CD1).  Later in the day, the NRA (National Rifle Association) and the NRCC ("National Republican Congressional Committee") joined in the fun/funding.

1) The NRCC made new ad buys against Rep. Harry Mitchell (CD5) and Rep. Kirkpatrick.  (I saw the slightly tweaked new anti-Mitchell ad airing last night.)  Two separate buys against Mitchell totaled $372,162.80, and one against Kirkpatrick cost $248,698.21.  In addition, the NRCC sent $11,500.00 to the Tarrance Group to conduct "survey research".

2) The NRA filed notice that it has printed and mailed "four color cards" and/or "postcards" supporting challengers David Schweikert (Repub., CD5) and Jesse Kelly (Repub., CD8).  The cost (four color cards, postcards, postage combined) was $3,035.25 for Schweikert and $25,555.58 for Kelly.


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FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS: NRA Takes Aim, Dentists Go For Gold, 60 Plus Drops 40 In The Mail, and Dem Group Sends $80K Harry's Way

Our previous reports on Independent Expenditures in Arizona's Congressional campaigns were posted on October 12, October 7, October 4, September 30, and September 28.



Today is not even over at the FEC's (Federal Election Commission) filing site for independent expenditures, but it has already been full of fireworks for Arizona campaigns.  Four good-sized media buys (including mailers as "media") - let's break them down in order, from large to (relatively) small.

1) "America's Families First Action Fund" bought $80,000.00 of advertising time in the Phoenix market to oppose Republican David Schweikert in his campaign against incumbent Harry Mitchell in CD5.   Here's a bit more about this group, which indicates that it spent $60,000+ on this race previously.

2) The American Dental Association continues to spend heavily on behalf of its member, Paul Gosar DDS.  Republican Gosar is running in CD1 to defeat incumbent Ann Kirkpatrick.  Today, the ADA spent $39,133.00 on a mail piece, and $37,975.90 on a radio ad.

3) The "National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund" drew a bead on the CD5 and CD8 races, spending $48,545.00 ($1000 for production) to air a radio ad in the Phoenix market in favor of Schweikert and $12,747.50 ($1000 for production) for radio time in Tucson supporting challenger Jesse Kelly against incumbent Democrat Gabrielle Giffords.

4)  The "60 Plus Association" is putting separate mailers out opposing the three Democratic incumbents in CD's 1, 5, and 8.  Kirkpatrick, Mitchell, and Giffords were the same targets in the 60 Plus TV ads that were the subject of an earlier Arizona Politics' Fact Check.  The amounts being spent are $13,456.53, $12,261.38 and $15,271.81, respectively. (total: $40,989.72)

PLEASE!!! If you come across any of these advertisements/mailers/etc., please send a copy/link/whatever to Arizona's Politics.  If you think any claims need to be Fact Checked, call our attention to them.  E-mail address is info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com.  Thanks.
 






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FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS: DCCC Drops Another (Nearly) Half-Million On Two Arizona Races

As we get closer to November, the independent expenditures on behalf of or against Congressional candidates will continue to increase. Arizona's Politics will check in regularly on the reports that these groups must submit to the Federal Election Commission. Here are the details for this week's filings.



Our previous reports on Independent Expenditures in Arizona's Congressional campaigns were posted on October 7, October 4, September 30, and September 28.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ("DCCC") made another mega-media ad buy in the Phoenix and Flagstaff markets today.  The ad buy is nearly evenly split between anti-David Schweikert (CD5) and anti-Paul Gosar (CD1) spots.

In today's filings, the DCCC notified the Federal Election Commission ("FEC") that it spent $238,480.08 opposing Schweikert in his renewed bid to unseat Democrat Harry Mitchell, and that it spent $233,309.51 opposing Gosar in his first-time campaign against first-term incumbent Ann Kirkpatrick.

On the other end of the dollar spectrum, "NARAL-Pro Choice America" spent $24.12 on "list rental" supporting Gabrielle Giffords (Dem., CD8) in her campaign to retain her seat against Jesse Kelly.


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FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS: Money Gets BIGGER Day By Day; DCCC and NEA Up Ante - Million Dollar Day, Others Chip In

As we get closer to November, the independent expenditures on behalf of or against Congressional candidates will continue to increase. Arizona's Politics will check in regularly on the reports that these groups must submit to the Federal Election Commission. Here are the details for this week's filings.




Our previous reports on Independent Expenditures in Arizona's Congressional campaigns were posted on October 4, September 30, and September 28.

Local TV stations in Flagstaff, Tucson and Phoenix have reason to smile.  Many reasons, as independent expenditure groups continue to up their ad buys to attack their opponents.  In fact, Tuesday and Wednesday brought more than one million dollars to Arizona's broadcasters. Sure, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ("DCCC") and the National Republican Congressional Committee ("NRCC") both sent more money to AZ broadcasters this week;  but, so did the National Education Association and the Family Research Council.  Meanwhile, it is apparent that 9 out of 10 dentists support colleague Republican Paul Gosar in his CD1 challenge against Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick.  Finally in this edition of "Following Money", we learn the value that the National Right To Life Group puts on advertisements in their newspaper.

1)  The "NEA Fund For Children and Public Education" plunked down $650,000.00 yesterday to produce and run an ad against GOP challenger David Schweikert in CD5.  The biggest single ad buy we have seen yet in this campaign.

2) The "Family Research Council Action PAC" today bought $15,327.00 of ads in the Tucson market attacking Democratic incumbent Gabrielle Giffords.  They spent $2,850.00 to produce the ad.

3) The NRCC yesterday spent $16,300.00 on media opposing Kirkpatrick.  This brings their total spent on that race (so far) to more than $375,000.

4)  The DCCC went big on Tuesday and again on Wednesday.  First, it spent nearly a quarter-million dollars ($247,944.10) on ads attacking Schweikert, and the next day went over a quarter-million ($256,060.19) attacking Gosar.  They also spent an additional $17,561.13 and $10,745.00, respectively, on production.

5)  The American Dental Association's Ind. Exp. committee smiled as they plunked down another $39,133.00 on direct mail on behalf of Paul Gosar, DDS.  They have spent money on other mailers and phone surveying.

6)  Finally, the "National Right To Life PAC" put ads in its "NRL News" on behalf of most of Arizona's Republican congressional candidates.  The House ads for Ben Quayle, Ruth McClung, Jesse Kelly, and Gosar were each valued at $19.15.  The ad for Sen. John McCain is valued at $56.10.


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BEYOND HYPER-PARTISANSHIP: A Raft Of Republicans Float Their Support For Rep. Giffords

One of the things that ArizonasPolitics.com intends to highlight during the next several weeks is efforts to get beyond hyper-partisanship. We believe that most Arizonans are tired of every issue being framed in an Us vs. Them, Republican vs. Democrat, black vs. white partisan way.

Incumbent Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-CD8) had several prominent Republicans announce their support for her general election campaign against Jesse Kelly this week.  Former state lawmakers Pete Hershberger and Jennifer Burns spoke out, as did Arizona Corporation Commissioner Kris Mayes.  Her campaign's news release has the rest of the names.

KVOA got some reaction from Kelly.  Not surprisingly, he indicated that he was not worried and that he is "delighted at the Democrats that are endorsing us."  The reporter pressed him to name them, which prompted him to say, "They're just volunteers and supporters, not elected officials."




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FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS: More Than $300,000 - National Republicans Let Loose (Again); Natl Dentists, Right-To-Lifers Join In

As we get closer to November, the independent expenditures on behalf of or against Congressional candidates will continue to increase. Arizona's Politics will check in regularly on the reports that these groups must submit to the Federal Election Commission. Here are the details for this week's filings.



It was a big Thursday and Friday for the Republican candidates in Arizona's competitive districts.  The National Republican Congressional Committee ("NRCC") finally paid for those ads attacking Rep. Harry Mitchell (Dem., CD5) that had been promised by David Schweikert's backers.  And, their media buys for that race totalling $167,856.23 DID indeed dwarf the $56,715.34 buy last week by their Democratic counterpart ("DCCC").

The NRCC also shelled out an additional $70,542.18 for an ad buy opposing Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (Dem., CD1).  And, they also dropped more than $26,000 for surveying CD1 residents and $15,000 surveying CD5 residents.

The National Right-To-Life PAC sent out mailers on behalf of Republicans Jesse Kelly (CD8), Ben Quayle (CD3) and Schweikert (CD5).  Combined, the mailers cost slightly more than $27,000.

Finally, the Republican challenger in CD1, Paul Gosar, was the intended beneficiary (even though he is not supposed to see the results) of $11,500.00 in surveying by the American Dental Association's Independent Expenditures PAC.  They have previously spent more than $20,000 on fellow dentist Gosar's behalf, through one of their other accounts.


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In Arizona CD8, Quien Es Mas Macho?

NPR's (Tucson-based Southwest Correspondent) Ted Robbins had a very good piece about the CD8 race between incumbent Gabrielle Giffords and challenger Jesse Kelly on "Morning Edition" this morning.  (Here is link to transcript and audio.)  The story focused on border issues, even as Robbins concluded that Social Security, the Bush-era tax cuts, and the health care bill will be the "issues beyond the border (that) will probably decide the race". 

Why? "Because when it comes to border security and immigration, the candidates running for Arizona's 8th Congressional seat seem to have only two lines — hard and harder." 

Great closing line.  And, Robbins had a quotable line near the beginning of the four-minute report:

"There's an old saying in Spanish — Quien es mas macho? (Who's tougher?) — that sums up the debate in the district over border security and immigration.


Democrat Gabrielle Giffords, the two-term incumbent, can't afford to look soft, so there isn't any talk of immigration reform. Instead, she reminds voters how she fought to get $600 million for border security this summer."

(I tried fact checking the origin of the "quien es mas macho" line, to no avail. My guess is it belongs to Bill Murray.)

By the way, the Morning Edition hosts got some mileage out of the theme for this story.  At the top of the hour tease, Steve Inskeep promo'd the story and then claimed to be tough; fill-in host Ari Shapiro introduced himself as being "not tough".  My vote for toughest of the day goes to Ted Robbins!

(Disclaimer: The paths of mas macho Ted Robbins and I crossed in Tucson for a brief period more than two decades ago.  We covered stories for different organizations, and spent a small amount of time in the same newsroom.)

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