Instead, the rumor goes, these national Republican groups are spending their money and resources to help Senate candidates in other states.
Republican officials and Burns' campaign chief insist it is not true.
Over the same period, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee had shelled out $1.2 million on TV and radio ads on Tester's behalf, according to comparative summaries.
The Associated Press and New York Times reported recently that national Republican leaders had devised a “firewall strategy.” Under the plan, they would spend most of the party's money to help Senate candidates in Missouri, Tennessee and Ohio to block a Democratic takeover of the Senate.
“The move also raises questions about the priority assigned to the RNC (Republican National Committee) to races in other states where Republicans are in jeopardy - Pennsylvania, Montana and Rhode Island among them,” an AP story said.
To some extent, national parties have always engaged in triage in national Senate races. They shift money and other resources to the hot candidates and away from those deemed likely to lose.
Burns, in fact, was the beneficiary of such triage strategy in his first race, his 1988 campaign against Democratic Sen. John Melcher. Late internal Republican polls showed Melcher fading and Burns rising. With Burns a hot candidate, the NRSC suddenly began helping Burns through mailings, staff, daily tracking polls and a voter identification project.
As a side note, Democrats filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that national GOP groups had illegally funneled money to Burns. An investigation by the FEC's general counsel found violations. However, the evenly divided FEC - three Republicans and three Democratic - deadlocked along party lines and took no action.
Fast-forwarding to 2006, is it possible that Burns is being hurt by the same triage strategy that helped him in 1988?
Brian Walton, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, adamantly denied that the party is abandoning Burns, who is seeking his fourth term.
“It's clearly not true,” he said.
Walton said the NRSC on Friday funded a direct mail effort - spending the most on coordinated expenses that it is allowed by law - on behalf of Burns.
The direct mail is intended “to help Montanans understand how much more in line Jon Tester's positions are with liberals like Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy's than with the conservative values of Montana,” Walton said.
Asked why the NRSC wasn't funding TV ads here, Walton said the group had done so earlier in the campaign and could do so again in the remaining two-plus weeks.
Erik Iverson, who's running Burns' campaign, also disputed claims that national Republicans are abandoning his boss.
“I'm on the phone with them every day,” he said.
He said the Republican National Committee is paying to send more than 100 volunteers to Montana to help Burns.
Asked why the RNSC isn't running TV here for Burns, Iverson said: “I don't know. Ask them. My guess is it's a resource issue.”
Burns also has a big advantage in remaining campaign funds to spend on ads. As of Sept. 30, Burns had
$1.7 million left in the bank, compared with Tester's $570,957. Tester also listed $137,000 in debts.
What does Tester's campaign think?
“The criminal investigation surrounding Senator Burns has earned him the stamp of damaged goods, even from his friends in Washington,” said Tester spokesman Matt McKenna.
He was referring to reports in some national newspapers, citing anonymous sources, that have said Burns is under investigation for his dealings with Jack Abramoff, the former Washington lobbyist who has pleaded guilty to felonies. Burns has said he is not under investigation.
McKenna said it really doesn't matter how much money Republicans spend to help Burns.
“We've always expected to be outspent in this race,” McKenna said. “Jon Tester was outspent 2-1 in the primary and was still successful. This race will be won on the ground, knocking on doors, in a person-to-person campaign, the same way he won the primary.”
Chuck Johnson is chief of the Missoulian's State Bureau in Helena. He can be reached at (800) 525-4920 or (406) 443-4920. His e-mail address is chuck.johnson@lee.net
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)