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2014-12-08 Home Front: Politix

Democrats Spent Big in Secret Effort to Elect Kansas

[Bloomberg] It's been more than a month since the Nov. 4 election, but we're only just now finding out about some of the biggest campaign donations, including a previously undisclosed spending blitz by Democrats to try and elect Kansas independent Greg Orman.

Perhaps that should be "independent"?

Any political contributions to national party committees and super-PACs made on or after Oct. 16 didn't have to be disclosed until Thursday. The long delay between the late contributions and public disclosure creates an opportunity for mischief and a chance to move big money because super-PACs can raise funds in unlimited amounts to pay for ads independently supporting or attacking candidates.

Senate Majority PAC, a Democratic super-PAC run by former political advisers to Majority Leader Harry Reid, sent about $1.5 million to two super-PACs that promoted businessman Greg Orman, who was running as an independent and refused to identify with which party he would caucus. Orman was ultimately unsuccessful in his campaign to unseat Republican incumbent Pat Roberts.

Senate Majority PAC sent $1.31 million to Committee to Elect an Independent Senate in five installments beginning on (you guessed it) Oct. 16, the start of the veiled disclosure period. The Reid-aligned PAC also sent $151,000 on Nov. 3-4 to Kansans Support Problem Solvers, which also backed Orman.

Orman and Democratic groups kept each other at arm's length, at least publicly, in a state that has a generic Republican lean. Self-inflicted wounds by Roberts and his rusty campaign operation contributed to the senator's vulnerability. Roberts wound up winning by an unexpectedly large margin of 10 percentage points after overhauling his campaign team, sharpening his campaign message around opposition to President Barack Obama and Reid, and riding the Republican wave.

Committee to Elect an Independent Senate also received $1 million from Michael Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor who is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg Politics parent company Bloomberg LP.

Posted by Fred 2014-12-08 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11131 views ] Top

#1 It was a desperate, last ditch effort. Dems thought they could apply the Prof. Jonathan Gruber "stupid people" rule in Kansas and lost.

Posted by Besoeker 2014-12-08 01:24|| 2014-12-08 01:24|| Front Page Top

#2 More live people voted than dead ones.

Posted by Bobby 2014-12-08 07:30|| 2014-12-08 07:30|| Front Page Top

#3 Ah, the story that keeps on giving. Nothing like one's opponent throwing money down a black hole with no return. Is it evil to engage in a bit of schadenfreude?

Posted by JohnQC 2014-12-08 08:46|| 2014-12-08 08:46|| Front Page Top

#4 Nothing like one's opponent throwing money down a black hole with no return

According to the Keynesians, that fertilizes the economy, so we should consider it a very good thing. Even should we not agree with Keynes.

Posted by trailing wife 2014-12-08 09:22|| 2014-12-08 09:22|| Front Page Top

#5 Does this mean the Democrats are full of fertilizer?

Posted by Frozen Al 2014-12-08 11:20|| 2014-12-08 11:20|| Front Page Top

#6 Kansas has voter I.D., thanks to Chris Kobach the Secretary of State.

Posted by bman 2014-12-08 14:57|| 2014-12-08 14:57|| Front Page Top

#7 Thanks (I think) for the compliment Bes! My late FIL once remarked about Kansas that the only thing to do here was work which kept our % of malcontents lower than most metropolitan cities.

The answering machines were full everyday of robo-calls from both parties. Constantly barraging us with lies, damn lies and statistics.

Here in SW KS, where a leading industry is meat packing and agriculture, we are used to the smell of "money". It smells a lot like what I would wager Senator Reid's cerebral(???) fluid might if one was able to detect minute odors.

Doesn't mean I didn't hold my nose to go and vote though.

Posted by Everday A Wildcat (KSU) 2014-12-08 17:35|| 2014-12-08 17:35|| Front Page Top

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