Optimistic Republicans cancel North Dakota ads

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has canceled some of its advertising buys in North Dakota, a sign of confidence that Rep. Kevin Cramer (R) has pulled sufficiently ahead of Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D).

The committee canceled about $87,000 in advertising reservations that had been planned for cable networks in Minot and Bismarck, according to a source familiar with the advertising market.

The NRSC still has reservations in place for broadcast airtime in both markets over the final three weeks before the midterms, totaling $385,000.

{mosads}The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Senate Majority PAC, the largest outside group supporting Senate Democrats, have shown no indication they plan to pull out of the state. The DSCC has nearly $900,000 in advertising reserved in North Dakota between October 16 and Election Day.

Heitkamp, who won her seat by a scant 2,900 votes in 2012, has long been seen as one of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats facing re-election this year. She has trailed Cramer in every public poll since June.

A Fox News poll released on Wednesday showed Cramer holding a 53 percent to 41 percent lead, similar to an NBC Valley News poll conducted the week prior.

Heitkamp on Thursday said she would vote against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. About a third of likely voters told Fox News pollsters that they would be less likely to support Heitkamp if she voted against Kavanaugh, while 17 percent said the decision would make them more likely to support her.

President Trump’s approval rating in North Dakota stands at 64 percent.

This story was corrected at 4:34 to reflect that the canceled advertisements were to run in Bismarck and Minot.