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The top 5 most aired ads of campaign 2012

(CBS News) The Republican Party is still embroiled in a nasty and prolonged presidential nomination fight. Yet on the television airwaves, at least, the general election battle has already begun.

According to Kantar Media's Campaign Media Analysis Group, the two television ads that have aired the most in the presidential race come not from the GOP field, but from the Obama campaign and a super PAC backed by Republican strategist Karl Rove.

It's a sign of both the formidable fundraising prowess by the Obama campaign, which raised more than $128 million through the end of 2011, and the growing role of independent super PAC groups in the campaign. And looking at where the ads aired shows which states both parties are focused on ahead of Election Day.

In the pages that follow, check out the top five most-aired campaign commercials of the 2012 presidential election (in reverse order).

Full coverage: Campaign 2012

The top 5 most aired ads of campaign 2012

5) "14 Months," sponsored by the Democratic National Committee

With the fifth most airings, this ad features clips of President Obama's September 2011 address to Congress outlining his jobs bill proposal. The spot has aired 4,387 times since September 12, the day after the President's speech. Looking ahead to November's election, the DNC ran the ad the most times in the battleground states of Florida (835), Virginia (807), and Ohio (656).

The top 5 most aired ads of campaign 2012

4) "Values," sponsored by the pro-Mitt Romney super PAC Restore Our Future

Restore Our Future began running this ad attacking Rick Santorum in late February, ahead of the crucial Republican primary in Michigan. Since then, the spot has run 4,650 times, mostly in Michigan (1,256) and Ohio (1,342). The super PAC invested heavily in those states, helping the former Massachusetts governor eek out narrow wins in both primaries. The ad is also airing in Mississippi and Alabama, which hold primaries next week.

The top 5 most aired ads of campaign 2012

3) "Moral Responsibility," sponsored by the Romney campaign

Mitt Romney's campaign began airing this positive spot back in December 2011, before any votes were cast in the Republican nomination race. Since then, it has run 5,006 times, with 1,606 airings in Florida and 1,350 airings in South Carolina. Romney lost the South Carolina primary to former Speaker Newt Gingrich, but came back 10 days later with a convincing victory in the Sunshine State.

The top 5 most aired ads of campaign 2012

2) "Shovel Ready," sponsored by Crossroads GPS

The Karl Rove- backed super PAC began airing this spot attacking President Obama back in June 2011. The ad aired the most in Florida by far - a total of 1,146 times. But it has also run more than 400 times in Missouri, North Carolina, and Iowa.

The top 5 most aired ads of campaign 2012

1) "Unprecedented," sponsored by the Obama campaign

Topping off at 6,190 airings, "Unprecedented" defended President Obama's record on energy policies. The campaign purchased air time in six battleground stats: Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The spot ran more than 1,200 times in North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin.


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