Republican presidential candidate and Texas Gov. Rick Perry and his Super PAC are continuing a media blitz at Des Moines’ top network TV stations, while other candidates and issue groups have gone off the airwaves.
Perry has spent $44,693 at KCCI, the local CBS affiliate, for ads running from Nov. 15 to Nov. 21. Since he began running ads in late October he’s spent $165,400 at KCCI and WHO, the local NBC affiliate.
And Make Us Great Again, a pro-Perry Super PAC, spent $10,455 at KCCI for ads running from Nov. 15 to Nov. 23. The group has spent $58,581 at KCCI and WHO since it began running ads in early November.
The combined total for Perry’s campaign and Make Us Great Again puts pro-Perry spending past that of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas). Paul had been leading all candidates in spending on KCCI and WHO, but has no ads scheduled to run this week.
Paul has spent $190,313 at the two stations thus far; U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) hasn’t purchased ads at the stations since mid-August; and other candidates have yet to delve into the TV ad battle at the networks. Although it appears Herman Cain’s campaign is preparing to run ads at KCCI.
Crossroads GPS, which has so far spent $186,556 at KCCI and WHO on ads attacking U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Des Moines), has also stopped running ads.
