DGA reserves $6 mil in Michigan fall airtime

By James Hohmann

The Democratic Governors Association has reserved more than $6 million in Michigan airtime this October, sources tracking the air war tell POLITICO, a reflection of optimism in the race against Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

So far this year, the DGA has already spent $1.9 million on TV ads in Michigan. The Republican Governors Association has spent $1.3 million, and Snyder’s reelection campaign has spent about $1.6 million.

Snyder led former Democratic Rep. Mark Schauer by 10 points in a poll conducted two weeks ago for the Detroit News, but the incumbent was only pulling 45 percent of likely voters – a sign of potential vulnerability – with 18 percent undecided.

The top tier of Democratic pickup opportunities includes Florida, Maine and Pennsylvania – where polls have shown challengers leading GOP incumbents. But party officials see the purple state of Michigan as closer to that group than conventional wisdom would suggest. Snyder won 58 percent of the vote in winning his first term in 2010.

The DGA’s first ad purchase this year was in Michigan, a three-week buy that started in January. Snyder aired his first commercials last fall.

The governor, who signed right-to-work legislation at the end of 2012, is also a top target of organized labor, a contributor to the DGA.

Snyder has also been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate if he’s reelected.

 
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/democratic-governors-association-dga-tv-advertising-spending-107427.html