By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pennsylvania is leading the nation in political ad spending this election cycle with hundreds of millions of dollars in ads for candidates up and down the ballot.
More than $150 million have been spent on the Pennsylvania Senate race so far. Based off recent predictions, the total spending is expected to exceed $300 million by Election Day.
Pennsylvania is a keystone for candidates looking to win this November. The Commonwealth could not only determine the next President, but also which party controls the Senate.
“You have to realize that the Democrats are going to lose West Virginia, which is going to make it 50-50. Any one seat that the Republicans can take is going to give them control of the chamber,” said Dr. Todd Belt, Professor and Director of the Political Management Master’s Program at George Washington University.
Belt says the race between incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick illustrates how pivotal the swing state is for each party.
“I think it’s going to be really tooth and nail for both of them going all the way up to the election,” said Belt.
When candidate spending and spending by outside groups are combined, Pennsylvania’s Senate race is the second most expensive in the country, behind Ohio. Both Pennsylvania and Ohio are two key seats Republicans are looking to flip for control of the upper chamber.
“If they can get Pennsylvania, Ohio or Montana, those are the key ones they’re looking at, they can take the chamber. Conversely, the Democrats have to defend all three. So the money is going into those three states. And it’s coming not just from the candidates, not just from the parties, but, of course, from the Super PACs and independent expenditure groups,” said Belt.
According to the non-partisan research group, OpenSecrets, over the course of the entire election cycle Political Action Committees (PACs) have spent $17,787,613 in supporting McCormick and $45,531,476 opposing Casey.
PACs have spent $1,993,298 in support of Casey and $34,205,103 opposing McCormick.
According to the most recent data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC), the candidates themselves have raised roughly $50 million.
Casey has raised $31,831,902.54 and spent $23,893,851.30. About 25% of the total raised for Casey come from small individual contributions- contributions less than $200. Over 51% come from large individual contributions.
McCormick has raised $18,063,945.95 and spent $9,805,205.57. 14% comes from small individual contributions, 41% from large individual contributions and 23% of McCormick’s total raised, about $4 million, comes from the candidate himself.
During such an unpredictable election year, Belt says one thing is for certain.
“People are going to get sick of seeing these commercials,” said Belt.
