NRCC puts $18.2M behind first fall ad reservation

The other targets include approximately $2 million combined against North Carolina Democratic Reps. Larry Kissell and Mike McIntyre; $1 million to help Rep. Jim Renacci (R-Ohio) against Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Ohio); $950,000 against Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah); $2.4 million combined to help Reps. Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.), Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) and Reid Ribble (R-Wis.); $720,000 to help Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-Ill.); $640,000 for two downstate Illinois open seats; $300,000 to protect Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio); and $440,000 to attack Rep. Ben Chandler (D-Ky.).

Chandler is the only surprise on the list, as all the other races are agreed upon by both sides as highly competitive.

The list does not include any reservations in Chicago — an expensive media market — where Reps. Robert Dold (R-Ill.), Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) and Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) are all facing uphill battles to hold onto their seats and where the DCCC has plunked down $3.1 million, or in Philadelphia, another highly expensive market that covers a number of potentially competitive races. The DCCC has also not made a Philadelphia reservation. The NRCC’s list also does not include any reservations in Florida, which will feature a number of competitive races in the fall.

The ad buy was first reported by Roll Call.