The inundation of political ads in Virginia is doing more than just impacting our television watching (and potentially voting habits).
Because Virginia is a swing state, the presidential candidates are pouring all their resources into the Commonwealth. On top of that, the neck-and-neck Senate race between Tim Kaine and George Allen is expected to be one the most expensive in the country.
Fairfax News writes that all this cash serves as an economic stimulus for local television stations.
Add that to the millions likely to be spent by the Obama and Romney campaigns and broadcasters are likely to be in the market for shorter TV shows or maybe some new technology that would let them compress programming and create more room for commercials.
According to Politico, Kaine purchased $1 million in new airtime for the fall, bringing his total ad reservations to $3.5 million
Allen recently reserved over $3 million of fall airtime.
The Washington Post reports that the Republican and Democratic Senate campaign committees have booked close to a combined $13 million worth of airtime in Virginia.
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And in addition to all of that, the conservative group American Crossroads has reserved $6.5 million of airtime in the state.
* After President Obama called for a one-year extension of the Bush-era tax cuts Monday for those earning less than $250,000, Kaine distanced himself from the president and proposed extending the tax cuts to those earnling less than $500,000.
Kaines statement Via RTD:
“I disagree with those Republicans who argue that the Bush tax cuts should be made permanent in their entirety,” Kaine said in a statement. “I also disagree with the president on the level at which we should allow them to expire. If everyone sets partisanship aside, we can find the right balance between helping families and businesses and making progress toward reducing the deficit.”
* Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney’s campaign bus will arrive in Virginia today. The bus, according to the Post, will serve as a mobile office where volunteers can make phone calls and help with other voting efforts.
Romney will not be present but other Republican officials will be there.
* Mayor Vincent Gray is set to provide a deposition today in the ongoing civil lawsuit in connection with the D.C. lottery contract, according toLoose Lips.
Eric Payne, a former contracting officer with the Chief Financial Officer's office, sued the city, alleging that he was unjustly fired for resisting political pressure in awarding the lotto contract.
