Crossroads GPS targets House Dems on tax vote

Crossroads GPS — the conservative group that spent millions in undisclosed donations to elect Republicans in 2010 — is preparing to jump into the 2012 campaign.

As Politico's Alex Isenstadt first reported, the group will launch a $400,000 radio ad campaign this week targeting vulnerable House Democrats on an upcoming vote to extend the so-called Bush tax cuts.

The ads will air in the districts of 12 House Democrats from swing districts who barely won re-election last month and look to be vulnerable again in 2012. The list includes Gerry Connolly of Virginia, Tim Bishop of New York , Ben Chandler of Kentucky and Heath Shuler of North Carolina.

"And whose side is Congressman Tim Bishop on?" the ad targeting the New York Democrat says, per Politico. "Will he side with Nancy Pelosi to raise job-killing taxes or with struggling families and the small businesses that can create the jobs we need?"

As part of what critics call the "shadow GOP," Crossroads GPS and its sister group, American Crossroads, collectively raised more than $70 million and spent more than half of that to elect Republicans in 2010. Roughly $43 million of that cash came via undisclosed contributions to Crossroads GPS, which as a 501-c4 nonprofit does not have to disclose its donors.

Both groups ended the 2010 campaign "strongly in the black," according to a spokesman, and plan to continue raising and spending money well into the 2012, with this round of ads being their first major offensive.

(Photo of Tim Bishop with Bill Clinton: Seth Wenig/AP)