Sep

2012

12:13pm, EDT

Outside groups make up almost half of all presidential campaign ads

By NBC’s Domenico Montanaro

Outside groups have accounted for almost half of all ad spending during this presidential general election, according to a First Read analysis of data provided by ad-buying firm SMG Delta.

Groups supporting the presidential candidates but not affiliated with the campaign, including super PACs, have spent $267 million of the $605.7 million spent on television and radio ads.

As NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss, both President Obama and Mitt Romney are facing unrest this week – Obama with continued protests in the Middle East and Romney within his own campaign.

(That overall number is sure to climb, as the Romney campaign is booking buys today.)

That means about 44 cents of every dollar spent on ads this election has come from outside groups.

There’s a big difference between who they’re supporting. Three-quarters of all money spent by outside groups -- $212 million -- has gone to support Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

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Two-thirds of all the ads run to support Romney, including the campaign, have come from outside groups. By contrast, 20 percent of ads supporting President Barack Obama’s re-election effort have come from outside groups.

OVERALL SPENDING: $605.7 million

Team Obama $286,905,268
Team Romney $318,396,978

OUTSIDE SPENDING: $266,782,619 (44 percent of total)

Team Romney $212,458,408 (67 percent of total)
Team Obama $57,473,660 (20 percent of total)

Outside groups’ spending tracks with the campaigns in some ways with heavy spending in Florida, Ohio, and Virginia. But in states where the campaigns aren’t spending heavily, outside groups have stepped in to account for most of the political advertising to test out messages and try to move the needle, so to speak.

Florida, like with the campaigns, is seeing the most total spending from outside groups -- $58.6 million. That’s just about half of the $121 million total spent in the state.

Next up in total spending: Ohio $42.6 million, Virginia $33.3 million, Colorado $25.1 million, North Carolina $21.2 million, Iowa $19 million, Pennsylvania $14.4 million, Nevada $14.2 million, Wisconsin $13.4 million, New Hampshire $11.9 million, Michigan $10 million.

By percentage of total spending in that state: Michigan 99.9 percent, Wisconsin 92 percent, Pennsylvania 75 percent, Colorado 44 percent, Wisconsin 42 percent, Iowa 40 percent, Virginia 37 percent, North Carolina 37 percent, Nevada 37 percent, Ohio 36 percent.

Strikingly, in every state, outside groups have made up a majority of all ads supporting Romney. In Florida, in particular 73 percent of all ads supporting Romney have come from outside groups.

Though the Obama campaign has spent a whopping $46 million in Florida, outside groups have helped Romney even the score. The Crossroads groups have poured in more than $25 million, the Koch-brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity $9 million, Restore Our Future $8 million, America’s Future Fund $1.4 million, and the American Energy Alliance $850,000. They have combined with the Romney campaign for $60.3 million in the Sunshine State, about what Obama has spent with the help of outside groups -- $60.7 million.

The Obama campaign has gotten some help from outside groups in Florida, but not to the level Romney is benefitting. Priorities USA has spent $12.7 million there, followed by the SEIU $1.5 million, Planned Parenthood $450,000, and MoveOn.org $64,000.

Here’s how it breaks down by state (plus a grand total of how much each group has spent below that):

FLORIDA
OVERALL SPENDING: $121 MILLION
OUTSIDE GROUP SPENDING: $58.6 MILLION (48 percent of total)

OUTSIDE GROUP BREAKDOWN:
PRO-ROMNEY: $43.8 MILLION OF $60 MILLION (73 percent)
PRO-OBAMA: $14.7 MILLION OF $60.7 MILLION (24 percent)

OHIO
OVERALL SPENDING: $116.9 MILLION
OUTSIDE GROUPS SPENDING: $42.6 MILLION (36 percent)

OUTSIDE GROUP BREAKDOWN:
PRO-ROMNEY: $29.9 MILLION OF $53.3 MILLION (56 percent)
PRO-OBAMA: $12.7 MILLION OF $63.6 MILLION (20 percent)

VIRGINIA
OVERALL SPENDING: $90.3 MILLION
OUTSIDE GROUP SPENDING: $33.3 MILLION (37 percent)

OUTSIDE GROUP BREAKDOWN:
PRO-ROMNEY: $22.4 MILLION OF $42.4 MILLION (53 percent)
PRO-OBAMA: $10.9 MILLION OF $47.9 MILLION (23 percent)

COLORADO
OVERALL SPENDING: $57 MILLION
OUTSIDE GROUP SPENDING: $25.1 MILLION (44 percent)

OUTSIDE GROUP BREAKDOWN:
PRO-ROMNEY: $16.4 MILLION OF $27.5 MILLION (60 percent)
PRO-OBAMA: $8.6 MILLION OF $29.5 MILLION (29 percent)

NORTH CAROLINA
OVERALL SPENDING: $57.7 MILLION
OUTSIDE GROUP SPENDING: $21.2 MILLION (37 percent)

OUTSIDE GROUP BREAKDOWN:
PRO-ROMNEY: $21.2 MILLION OF $35.5 MILLION (60 percent)
PRO-OBAMA: $10.9 MILLION OF $47.9 MILLION (23 percent)

IOWA
OVERALL SPENDING: $48 MILLION
OUTSIDE GROUP SPENDING: $19 MILLION (40 percent)

OUTSIDE GROUP BREAKDOWN:
PRO-ROMNEY: $15.8 MILLION OF $25.4 MILLION (62 percent)
PRO-OBAMA: $3.2 MILLION OF $22.9 MILLION (14 percent)

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PENNSYLVANIA
OVERALL SPENDING: $19.3 MILLION
OUTSIDE GROUP SPENDING: $14.4 MILLION (75 percent)

OUTSIDE GROUP BREAKDOWN:
PRO-ROMNEY: $11.2 MILLION OF $11.2 MILLION (100 percent)
PRO-OBAMA: $3.2 MILLION OF $8.1 MILLION (40 percent)

NEVADA
OVERALL SPENDING: $38.6 MILLION
OUTSIDE GROUP SPENDING: $14.2 MILLION (37 percent)

OUTSIDE GROUP BREAKDOWN:
PRO-ROMNEY: $13.3 MILLION OF $20.4 MILLION (65 percent)
PRO-OBAMA: $874,000 MILLION OF $18.2 MILLION (5 percent)

WISCONSIN
OVERALL SPENDING: $14.5 MILLION
OUTSIDE GROUP SPENDING: $13.4 MILLION (92 percent)

OUTSIDE GROUP BREAKDOWN:
PRO-ROMNEY: $10.2 MILLION OF $10.6 MILLION (96 percent)
PRO-OBAMA: $3.2 MILLION OF $3.9 MILLION (82 percent)

NEW HAMPSHIRE
OVERALL SPENDING: $28.2 MILLION
OUTSIDE GROUP SPENDING: $11.9 MILLION (42 percent)

OUTSIDE GROUP BREAKDOWN:
PRO-ROMNEY: $11.9 MILLION OF $14.1 MILLION (84 percent)
PRO-OBAMA: $0 OF $14 MILLION (0 percent)

MICHIGAN
OVERALL SPENDING: $10 MILLION
OUTSIDE GROUP SPENDING: $10 MILLION (99.9 percent)

OUTSIDE GROUP BREAKDOWN:
PRO-ROMNEY: $10 MILLION OF $10 MILLION (100 percent)
PRO-OBAMA: $10,000 OF $10,000 (100 percent)

Here’s the total of how every group is spending:

Obama $233,604,018
Crossroads GPS $59,977,352 (pro-Romney)
Romney $87,648,202
American Crossroads $48,441,218 (pro-Romney)
Americans for Prosperity $46,517,357 (pro-Romney)
Priorities USA $48,176,176 (pro-Obama)
Restore Our Future $44,408,615 (pro-Romney)
Republican National Committee $18,723,265 (pro-Romney)
Concerned Women for America $4,783,656 (pro-Romney)
America's Future Fund $4,580,908 (pro-Romney)
Americans Energy Alliance $3,201,354 (pro-Romney)
SEIU $2,497,313 (pro-Obama)
Planned Parenthood $1,447,734 (pro-Obama)
Priorities/League of Conservation Voters $979,048 (pro-Obama)
MoveOn.org $166,891 (pro-Obama)
Jill Stein (Green Party presidential candidate) $38,175

TOTAL $605.7 million

*** UPDATE *** The ACLU spending has been taken out of the "pro-Obama" category. The group contends it wasn't advocating for one candidate or the other. The ad it ran advocates for health-care benefits and abortion care for servicewomen who are victims of rape.

*** UPDATE 2 *** Numbers USA spending has also been taken out of the "pro-Romney category. The group is running ads that are anti-immigration, not explicitly support Romney or attacking Obama.

Explore related topics: barack-obama, featured, decision-2012, mitt-romney, ads, first-read

Jump to discussion page: 1 2 3 4 5

Rhea-1300273

Since the pro-Romney ads are 67% funded from outside groups, and pro-Obama 20%, a headline saying that outside money is buying "almost half of all campaign ads" is rather misleading, don't you think? Almost 80% of the outside money is going to one side.

1 vote

#28 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:27 PM EDT

jstdafacts

Mitt "F da Poor" Romney and Paul “Middle Class Warfare” Ryan are nothing more than Two “Howdy Doodie Political Puppets” sitting on da Koch Brothers and Sheldon Abelson’s Lap.

You BetCha....Fer Sure.

#29 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:28 PM EDT

800# Gorilla

The 1% will sell out their own mother too win the election...Lyan had his mommie lie for his benefit about SSI, Medicare and Medicade...

Of course her being part of the 1% that sells out the 99 does not hurt them any..

So taking in money from sources like China, North Korea or Iran would just be business as usual for Republicans..

After all Republican 1% Championed "Out Sourcing Jobs"

(called global economy too make it sound less obvious)

too these countries so in a way they are taking money from these countries...

#30 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:30 PM EDT

sharky.

Three hunded million of Koch Bros/Karl Rove money spent and all it took was a Bill Clinton speech to flush it down the toilet.

1 vote

#31 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:33 PM EDT

NWScot

Because of our current activist Right-leaning Supreme Court ruling for Citizens United, that corporations are the same as individual citizens, the big money these corporations have at their disposal allow a tsunami of funds to overwhelm the power of the individual voter. This is as UN-American and as UN-democratic as it gets. This is a complete hijacking of the democratic process and provides undue influence over, and basically the wholesale purchasing of, our elections process. Americans have still not awakened from their slumbering stupor to understand how dangerous this precedence is.

1 vote

#32 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:35 PM EDT

dsb

History will show that the Citizens United ruling will go down as one of the worse rulings in history. Especially since there is no transparency.

We need a Constitutional amendment limiting political contributations. I know it won't happen but I suggest:

1). The contributation must be made by a citizen. If we have to keep coporations then the corporation must be registered as a US company. Personally I think we should limit it to individuals.
2). the maximum per candidate/campaign should be somewhere around $2500.
3). NO PACs. All contributations must go directly to the campaign, thereby forcing each canididate having to approve any ads.
4). This would apply to every candidate; local, stare and national.

A side effect - far fewer TV ads. Whoopee!!!

I'm an Obama supporter and I would be saying the exact same thing no matter who is raising the most money. We have to get the money out of politics. We can't afford to have our politicians beholden to lobbyists and special interest groups. Especially when we don't know if any of those groups are compromised of foreign entities.

#33 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:36 PM EDT

jock59801

I'm beginning to think it will indeed take a Constitutional amendment to stop this madness and get our democracy back. The wording would be very tricky, however.

#33.1 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:41 PM EDT

chris-2051162

Okay so I wonder why no one has heard about the 18 year old Islamic in Chicago who just got busted for planning to cblow up a nightclub hasn't been all over the news???? Gee ya think it has anything to do with Obama having the Brotherhood of Islam in town at the white house this week?

The FBI finds out about this kid..they supply him with a fake bomb..he goes along with his plan..plants the fake bomb..presses the button and the FBI arrests him! Lets embrace these folks some more shall we?

Its amazing to watch our country due to this liberal President..just to gather votes!!! The media always publishes pro Obama garbage!

#33.2 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:44 PM EDT

dsb

Chris
It was all over the news when it happened. Just do a quick google search. I found 11references right of the bat. If all you want is right wing garbage then stay with Fox.

Intelligent voters get their information from a multitude of sources. And we actually consider the leanings of the source too.

Here's a good one. It looks like the guy is just a loon.

http://touch.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-72322824/

#33.3 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:53 PM EDT

John Lawrence-3816969

As long as UNIONS follow the same rules as all other non-profits and stay out of elections or all non-profits can voice their opinions!!!!

#33.4 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:03 PM EDT

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chris-2051162

Its amazing to watch our country due to this liberal President..just to gather votes!!! The media always publishes pro Obama garbage!

1 vote

#34 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:44 PM EDT

jock59801

OK, we promise not to embrace 18-year-old terrorists.

And yes it WAS all over the news.

#34.1 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:45 PM EDT

Economan

So what's the problem? I say it's about time people were able to exercise their First Amendment rights.

Bring it on!

1 vote

#35 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:47 PM EDT

jock59801

Money is not free speech. Free speech is something that makes us all equal. Money is something that makes us all unequal.

1 vote

#35.1 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:50 PM EDT

John Lawrence-3816969

Unions have been doing it so corporations deserve the same rights!!!

#35.2 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:02 PM EDT

Economan

As the Founding Fathers observed, freedom of the press belong to those who own printing presses.

As for the money thing, I want to hear what the people with the brains and ambition to acquire and spend money have to say. Ne'er do wells without means don't impress me so much. What do they have to say that I care about?

1 vote

#35.3 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 8:58 PM EDT

Ron Brock

I don't care how much outside groups spend. I have heard conservatives say it is OK because unions contribute money for campaign ads for democrats. That is like two children arguing with their parents over who is worse. We obviously are not broke or we could not even start to spend the money we do on the guy we want. I think there needs to be public campaign financing for president. The problem with outside financing is that these groups just make up anything they want because there is no accountability. (And half of us are dumb enough or pre disposed enough to believe them).

#36 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:50 PM EDT

Tarzan7

I Think we have the best Government that Big Corporations and the Wealthy can Buy. We will never have a Government that listens to the Masses in this country as long as the people continue to elect these wealthy self serving politicians. We will continue to see our once Great country go down the toilet. I am old enough to have seen the best of this country. The younger people of today are going to see the worst unless they throw out these self serving $#@!%#@@#$%$.

#37 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:55 PM EDT

John Lawrence-3816969

Here is to the liberal intolerance out there. Until the recent law changes on the LIBERAL UNIONS SPENT money despite their so called tax excempt status. UNIONS ARE HUMAN AS MUCH AS COPORATIONS ARE HUMAN!!!! Churches cannot even touch elections without threats from the IRS, especially Obama's IRS as long as they are aginst him. If they are liberal churches they are not touched. These are facts and only idots on the left have the lack of integrity to argue these points!!!!!

#38 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:01 PM EDT

Herb Sneebler

There is a winner in all of this. All that ad money is going right in the coffers of the parent corporations of the media outlets.Disney, Viacom and Comcast.

Those folks just love elections. Every four years they get a guaranteed boost to their profits from the campaign donations of all parties concerned and icing for their cake from the outside groups that have no transparency for where the cash comes from

Great system don't ya think? I'm in the wrong business.

#39 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:02 PM EDT

Ron Brock

Tarzan 7- I am old enough too and you are correct. At least the wealthy people elected in the past have cared about the country. That is no longer the case. They are completely self serving. I am thinking of treating my congressman does me. I am going to send him an email with my thoughts every other month and ask him for money every two years. If he can do it I should be able to.

#40 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:02 PM EDT

rightwingscrewballDeleted

lukewarm

Someone on the radio the other day referred to MSNBC as MSLSD and I got a good laugh but now I'm really starting to think these guys are on drugs. Do they not remember the 2008 race and the fact that Obama raised twice as much as McCain, Obama refused (for the first time ever) to utilize the public funding option because it would limit the amount he could amass? I guess when it's "their" guy running, they ignore the facts but if they can use something to paint the other guy in a bad light, it's "game on".

ABC News-December 2008

He was not quite the first $1 billion president -- but he was three quarters of the way there.

In 21-plus months, Barack Obama raised roughly $750 million from donors, surpassing all of his White House opponents this year and also eclipsing the total amount of money raised by all of the presidential candidates combined in 2004.

Post-election campaign finance reports, filed by the candidates with the Federal Election Commission Thursday, reinforced the striking contrast between the amount of money Obama had at his disposal versus Republican rival John McCain.

#42 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:04 PM EDT

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John Lawrence-3816969

This is like Muslims defending Muhammed the pedifile. YES I SAID Pedifile!!!! He married a 6 year old and had marital relations with her at age 9. That makes him a pedifile!!!

#43 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:07 PM EDT

mksbk

I laugh at the ads from both sides. If anyone believes either party, well give me a call and I'll sell you a bridge.

#44 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:07 PM EDT

Arizonatime

Ceasar Odumbass, gets the majority of his campaign ads taken care of by, the liberal media for free, in half truths and flat out lies.

#45 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:08 PM EDT

tigtowDeleted

Roberto-2597350

Kind of puts a new slant on the term, "Buy America!"

#47 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:17 PM EDT

Liberal Shawn

Our system needs changing, that obvious. However I vote for the following....

1) Every candidate after the convention gets the same amount of air time on all three major networks. No more...no less. You can't place ad's on cable, unless it is during The Daily Show and you have John Stewart overseeing the content.

2) The costs of the ads are the same for each candidate. $4.00 budget.

3) No outside party can place an ad on TV supporting a presidential candidate. The ad must come from the candidate and they must be in the ad speaking to the public. The only exception is if Clinton is placing the ad he talks about Monica somewhere in the ad.

4) Super PAC's need to be eliminated, or their wealth split up between candidates. The money needs to be thrown into a ring and have them fight for it. For some reason, my bets on Romney in this scenario.

5) MSNBC, CNN, and FOX must actually present news to us, and not their opinion to sway voters. The only exception is for Hannity. He can keep his show only if he presents with his hair on fire wearing a t-shirt that says, "I have a man crush on Obama"

Ok....I am off my soap box and I am now back to reality.

#48 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:23 PM EDT

Economan

You don't think much of the First Amendment, do you?

The candidates will be spending nearly a billion dollars each. That, of course, is less than the U.S. spends on potato chips. So, I trust that you're in favor of EVERY candidate receiving his billion dollars for advertising, right?

Good. I'm running for pres. When do I get my billion? I want to start setting the country straight immediately.

Oh. You don't think I'm worthy? Why not? Who gets to say who's worthy? Surely you don't want the incumbents to decide, do you?

#48.1 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 9:03 PM EDT

FactOfTheMatter

I somewhat enjoy watching the Romney campaign discovering you can't just buy the Presidency.

Whatever, outside groups and their dollars are soon parted.

1 vote

#49 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:28 PM EDT

juststarting

Take one minute to think about why these special interest groups are giving mitt the clown so much money. You people can't really be that stupid.

1 vote

#50 - Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:30 PM EDT

Aunt Anna

An investigation by the Government Accountability Institute found that more than half of the most politically active 50 campaign bundlers for President Obama were either appointed to a presidential council, committee, board, or other White House post. Many bundlers’ businesses or relative’s businesses also received millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded federal contracts, grants, loans or other crony perks.