Conservative ‘issues’ groups plan final cash blitz before Election Day

With just eight days until Election Day, outside conservative groups (which some critics call the shadow GOP) are planning a final multimillion-dollar ad blitz aimed at helping Republicans win control of the House and Senate.

Already, two of the leading outside GOP groups—American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS—have together spent a combined average of $1 million a day so far this month. On Sunday, American Crossroads filed notice that it had spent another $500,000 in ads and direct mail, including $400,000 alone for ads targeting independent candidate Charlie Crist in Florida's Senate race. That spending is notable in part because leaders of the Senate GOP two weeks ago shifted money they had planned to spend on Republican Marco Rubio's behalf to other key Senate races.

That strategic move is testimony to how crucial the new infusions of outside campaign cash are to candidates and national parties. Among other things, the contributions from independent "issues" groups gives GOP candidates the flexibility to spend their cash on other priorities, such as get-out-the-vote efforts, without losing ground against Democratic opponents. Indeed, outside cash is the sole reason certain contests are competitive, as the New York Times' Jim Rutenberg reports Monday morning.

In Florida's 24th Congressional District, Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, a freshman Democrat, is behind in re-election polling to state GOP Rep. Sandy Adams, even though Kosmas has raised and spent almost four times as much cash as Adams has. As Rutenberg notes, Adams hasn't run a single commercial in the race. But outside groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have spent more than a $1 million on attack ads aimed at Kosmas, making Adams the favorite to win.

(Photo of Rubio, left, and Crist: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)