Democratic super PAC reserves nearly $1.3 million of TV ad time in four New York House races

By Robert Harding

A major Democratic super PAC has reserved television air time in several congressional districts around the country, including four in New York. 

House Majority PAC announced Friday that they have reserved $6.5 million in TV time in 24 congressional races. The investments include $1,289,619 to reserve TV ad time in four New York congressional races — the 1st, 11th, 18th and 24th districts. 

“By placing these reservations early, we will make our dollars go further and ensure we have the air time to effectively fight back against the flood of Koch brothers’ dollars,” House Majority PAC Executive Director Alixandria Lapp said in a statement Friday. 

“We are making wise investments in those districts where we expect we will need to counter negative attacks in the final weeks of the campaign. We will be making additional television reservations later in the cycle, as we see how campaigns and races develop.” 

House Majority PAC’s New York reservations include $166,254 for air time in the 24th Congressional District, which includes all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties, plus the western portion of Oswego County. 

The 24th District is represented by U.S. Rep. Dan Maffei. Maffei, D-Syracuse, is running for re-election against Republican challenger John Katko. 

In 2012, House Majority PAC played a role in Maffei’s win over then-Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-Onondaga Hill, in the 24th District race. The super PAC ran TV ads in the Rochester and Syracuse markets and sponsored a poll that found Maffei was beating Buerkle by four points in July 2012. 

Along with the 24th District, the super PAC has reserved $565,900 of air time in New York’s 18th Congressional District, where U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, a Democrat, is running for re-election against former Rep. Nan Hayworth, a Republican. 

House Majority PAC spent $394,706 to lock up TV time in New York’s 1st Congressional District. U.S. Rep. Tim Bishop, a Democrat, is facing a tough re-election bid. Two Republicans are vying for the party’s nod to challenge Bishop — George Demos and state Sen. Lee Zeldin. 

In New York’s 11th Congressional District, House Majority PAC reserved $162,759 worth of air time. U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, a Republican, is the incumbent. On the Democratic side, Domenic Recchia and Erick Salgado are running for the party’s nomination. 

Here’s a list of the TV air time reservations House Majority PAC announced Friday:

ARIZONA

1st District – $420,785

2nd District – $138,693

9th District – $420,785

CALIFORNIA

7th District – 189,610

36th District – $112,219

52nd District – $512,190

COLORADO

6th District – $425,330

FLORIDA

2nd District – $232,120

18th District – $561,423

26th District – $175,894

IOWA

3rd District – $125,127

ILLINOIS

10th District – $229,354

13th District – $143,878

17th District – $128,898

MASSACHUSETTS

6th District – $124,020

MINNESOTA

2nd District – $329,371

8th District – $354,265

NEW HAMPSHIRE

1st District – $162,253

2nd District – $162,253

NEW YORK

1st District – $394,706

11th District – $162,759

18th District – $565,900

24th District – $166,254

TEXAS

23rd District – $221,347

From The Auburn Citizen on April 19, 2014

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