Washington • A political action committee aligned with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi has reserved $43 million in TV ads across the country for the final weeks before this year’s midterm elections, but noticeably absent is any focus on Democrat Ben McAdams’ bid to oust GOP Rep. Mia Love in Utah.
The House Majority PAC is targeting 33 races in an effort to win back control of the House chamber and has reserved the airtime to lock in early rates, the group said.
“The Republicans are panicking about losing their majority in the House, because they know that across the country Democrats have top-notch candidates running, and there’s a surge in grass-roots participation,” House Majority PAC Executive Director Charlie Kelly said in a statement last week. “Momentum is on our side, and with smart, strategic investments, we will help Democrats win across the country.”
McAdams, the Salt Lake County mayor, is seeking his party’s nomination against Love, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has labeled Utah’s 4th District race as one of the top targets nationally in its “red-to-blue” program. And the Cook Political Report, which identifies competitive races, is keeping an eye on the 4th District, saying now that it “leans Republican.”
Ad spending by groups, such as the House Majority PAC, is another way to gauge whether the party sees a race as truly competitive.
The Pelosi-aligned PAC noted this is the earliest the group has ever reserved ad time but that it was an initial step and not a final decision as to which races would receive money.
Hannah Blatt, the PAC’s press secretary, said Love is “way out of touch” with voters in the district and the group could still get involved in the race. The PAC didn’t reserve TV time in Utah in the 2016 election cycle until July of that year.
Love has “voted time and time again for [House Speaker] Paul Ryan’s toxic agenda, from raising taxes on hardworking families to the disastrous GOP health care plan,” Blatt said. “We’re keeping a close eye on this race, and Love shouldn’t get too comfortable.”
Love voted for the GOP tax overhaul legislation that would cut tax rates for most working Americans as well as corporations. While the business tax rate is permanent, the individual tax rates expire in about a decade unless renewed, and experts say that could mean a tax hike down the road.
Love held a 5 percentage point lead over McAdams in a Salt Lake Tribune-Hinckley Institute of Politics poll from January, though with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percent, the race is a statistical tie.
Dave Hansen, Love’s campaign manager, noted that Democrats will have a tough road to winning back control of the House and that while they’ve spoken about McAdams’ chances to take out a sitting Republican, talk is cheap.
“It may be too early to read, but at the same time, obviously all this hype about this being a targeted race — it must be a targeted race among 200, not 33, on their part,” Hansen said.
He added that the initial spending by Democrats shows the race isn’t a top priority.
“I wouldn’t think so; otherwise I think we’d see something,” he said.
McAdams’ spokesman, Andrew Roberts, said the campaign can’t coordinate spending with such political action groups and isn’t paying attention to their spending plans.
“The mayor is focused on talking to Utahns and running a campaign on achievements he’s made for the people of Utah,” Roberts said.
Sheldon Kirkham, Darlene McDonald and Tom Taylor have also filed paperwork to seek the Democratic nomination for the 4th District.
