Pro-Santorum Super PAC skips N.H. ad buys

By: Phil Hirschkorn
Topics: Campaign 2012

"Pride," an ad supporting GOP candidate Rick Santorum from the Red White and Blue Fund, a Super PAC.

(Credit: Red White and Blue Fund)

The insurgent campaign of Rick Santorum will be on its own in the Granite State. The Super PAC working to boost his candidacy - the Red White and Blue Fund - will not be spending any money to help Santorum in the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire presidential primary.

But the PAC is on the airwaves in South Carolina, where Republicans vote in two weeks.

The Red White and Blue Fund spent $525,000 on television ads in Iowa, according to expenditure disclosures to the Federal Election Commission, helping fuel Santorum's drive to a very close second place in the Iowa caucuses.

Santorum, a former Congressman and Senator from Pennsylvania, lost by only eight votes out of 122,000 to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, whose victory was abetted by more than $3 million in TV ads by the pro-Romney Super PAC Restore Our Future - mostly negative ads that attacked the record of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and helped drive down his support.

The pro-Santorum Super PAC will not be on the air in New Hampshire, Red White and Blue Fund spokesman Stuart Roy confirmed to CBS News on Friday. But Roy said the Super PAC has already committed $200,000 to buying TV time in the Palmetto State's three largest media markets (Greenville, Charleston and Columbia) for their new 30-second ad, "Pride" (see below)

The pro-Ron Paul Super PAC, Revolution PAC, has committed "six figures" to play a 60-second video (previously posted to its website) mostly on cable TV stations and during local commercial breaks in Saturday's debate on ABC affiliate WMUR.

The pro-Romney Super PAC Restore Our Future so far is not on television in New Hampshire, but it has bought full-page newspaper ads in the state's largest circulating newspaper, the Manchester Union Leader (which endorsed Gingrich), alleging similarities between Gingrich's views on certain issues and those of President Barack Obama.

The newspapers ads will also be published in The State in Columbia, S.C., where Restore Our Future has already spent $300,000 on TV ad time, according to spokeswoman Brittany Gross.

The pro-Santorum Super PAC registered with the FEC in October, but did not spend any money until the last two weeks of December, and it has not previously needed to disclose its donors. But its end-of-year report (along with that of every other pro-candidate Super PAC) will be due in January - after the N.H. and S.C. primaries have already been fought.

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by matzeklein January 9, 2012 3:10 PM EST: A German Preacher's Thoughts on American Christians and Politics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLYq525SpM; Reply to this comment


by sharkboy234 January 7, 2012 8:35 PM EST: RICK SANTORUM IS IN IT TO WIN IT SOUTH CAROLINA CAN VOTE FOR RICK SANTORUM VOTE FOR RICK SANTORUM. ALSO PEOPLE SAVE THE INTERNET
GET ALL THE 41 SENATORS TO VOTE AGAINST INTERNET CENSORSHIP DEMOCRATS BLOCK THE VOTE AND FILIBUST IN THE SENATE VOTE OUT INTERNET CENSORSHIP JUST SAY NO TO SOPA!; Reply to this comment

by slatep January 7, 2012 12:53 PM EST

What part of organizations like the Super PAC's allow political offices to be bought do we not understand.?

Currently; our bought and paid for President, Congressmen and Senators are wholly and completely responsible for the trainwreck crises in the United States today.

Huge contributions by big businesses, lobbyists, unions, PAC groups, oil companies, drug companies etc. should be ILLEGAL.

How are we ever going to be able to elect ANYBODY who is honestly interested in solving the problems here in the US and serving the interests of the American people if this is allowed to continue.?

Congress is certainly not going to pass legislation barring these contributions, because they know they will be unable to line their pockets and keep promises to pass legislation that favors huge corporations, etc if they don't receive payback.

This legislation should be put on the ballots as a referendum, and let the people decide if they want to be screwed by more bought and paid for politicians.!!

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by cntrygirl3 January 7, 2012 5:04 PM EST: Please remember our last bought and paid for president Mr. Bush and the bought and paid for republican congresses that went with him are mostly responsible for the current mess. I do however agree with your general premise. It will be interesting to see who has contributed to Mr. Santorum, other than his every republican cut taxes for the rich stance. I can only surmise it is because he isn't terribly bright and easily controllable. Though the money buys a lot of commercials we electorate are not required to listen to or believe them. Every single voter should make it their business to find out who is contributing to these super pacs when the data is published. Unfortunately in the general election we won't find out who contributed last until after the election. You can be assured of one thing, none of them have the good of the American people or the country as their first priority.