GOP Ad War Begins

As first primaries near, TV ad blitz rolls out in key states
By Mark Russell,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 26, 2011 11:03 AM CDT
GOP Ad War Begins
A file photo of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is seen through the eyepiece of a television camera, from June 28, 2007.   (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

With less than 10 weeks to go until Republican primary voting, the campaign for the GOP nomination is stepping up to a whole new level—the level where you can't turn on your TV without hearing someone utter, "I approve this message." The first round of candidate debates are over and the next not coming until mid-November, so New Hampshire, Iowa, and other early voting states are getting their first multimillion-dollar ad blitzes, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Because so many of the early voting states are relatively small media markets, ad money can go a long way there. Ron Paul is in the middle of dropping a $2 million ad bomb on three key states. Rick Perry is concentrating on conservative Iowa, where a strong showing for him is considered vital. Mitt Romney has yet to air any ads, but he has millions banked to do so—and already the Democrats are airing anti-Romney ads in Arizona. And of course there's Herman Cain's viral online ad, "Smoking Man." (More GOP candidates stories.)

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