Free the Files

While freeing files in the Raleigh, Durham, Fayettville region of North Carolina, I was fascinated by the differences in the campaign ad expenditures of gubernatorial candidates Pat McCrory and Democrat Walter Dalton on various stations.  McCrory, who is forcasted to win according to recent polls, seems to be allowing various PACs and conservative organizations to spend the money for him.  

Focusing on WTVD, an ABC station based in Raleigh, the Dalton for Governor campaign invested $140,000 on advertising. McCrory for Governor invested $84,900.  These amounts are based on the current freed files in the database.

This difference is compensated by PAC and interest group advertising.  In total, the conservative PAC that spent more than $50,000 on advertising on WTVD is Americans for Job Security, giving $101,000.   In addition, the conservative congressional election committees, the National Republican Congressional Committee and Congressional Leadership Fund, have given $420,800 in television ads logged so far.       

The N.C. Citizens for Progress a progressive PAC, is the only state contributor that spent greater than $50,000 in WTVD television ads logged so far.  The PAC contributed $70,800.  In addition to the progressive PAC, a large amount of democratic funding comes from PACs dedicated to the congressional race.  The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee funded $363,000 of campaign ads on WTVD.

The presidential race has had a clear impact: conservative PACs, including  Restore our Future and American Crossroads have given a total of $155,300.  Obama for America, President Obama's election campaign spent $506,000 on WTVD, contributing to a significant portion of progressive ads. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney does not have any files released for WTVD. 

To summarize, while McCrory seems to have spent less of his own money on campaign advertising in this area, the conservative PAC's have spent around $200,000 more than progressive PACs.  

Here are a few of McCrory and Dalton's own spending reports, broken down by which campaign the ad backs and the advertising agency that bought the ads. All of these ads aired or will air on WTVD. 

1.  Dalton for Governor. Buying Time,LLC. $38, 445.

2. Dalton for Governor. Buying Time, LLC.  $24, 445.

3. Dalton for Governor. Buying Time, LLC. $38, 355.

4. Dalton For Governor.  Buying Time, LLC. $39,070.

5. McCrory For Governor. Smart Media Group LLC. $55,515.

6. McCrory For Governor.  Smart Media Group. $29,350.

For more information, see ProPublica's Free the Files campaign.