House GOP super PAC crosses $200M in midterm spending

House Republicans’ top super PAC is adding $15 million more in new ad reservations, bringing its total investment to over $200 million and piling increased pressure on Democrats as they get outspent at the end of the campaign.

The Congressional Leadership Fund’s latest spending deluge is spread across 16 districts and, notably, includes broadcast TV spending in the two biggest media markets in the country, going after Reps. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) and Katie Porter (D-Calif.), according to advertising plans shared first with POLITICO. Seven of the target districts are ones that President Joe Biden carried by double-digit margins in 2020, a sign that Republicans are pushing to expand the map as far as possible in their bid to flip districts.

The group, which has close ties to Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, has already given relatively underfunded Democrats major heartburn. The new purchases will only widen the disparity between CLF’s largesse and what Democratic super PACs have been able to pump into the battle for the House.

CLF announced Wednesday morning that it had raised $73 million in the third quarter of the year, and it began October with $114 million on hand. The super PAC has already outstripped its previous fundraising record, set in the 2020 cycle, by $80 million.

Flush with gobs of cash, the GOP super PAC will air broadcast ads in New York City and Los Angeles — something few candidates and outside groups are able to do because of the exorbitant price. A $2 million buy will target Malinowski, who represents northern New Jersey, and a $700,000 buy will zero in on Porter, who holds an Orange County district that Biden carried by 12 points.

CLF is adding $1.7 million to target Porter and Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.); $700,000 against Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.); $3.65 million to help Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) and John Duarte, who are running in Central California; $550,000 to boost Rep. Mayra Flores (R-Texas); and $1 million to aid Allan Fung in Rhode Island.

Biden won all of those districts by double digits in the last election.

“The palpable energy we’ve seen all cycle behind the fight for a new majority is only intensifying in the final stretch,” CLF President Dan Conston said in a statement. “We will continue doubling down and making the investments we need to take the fight to Democrats and win November 8.”

House Democratic strategists have admitted in recent days that they lack the resources to fully fund all of their candidates in battleground races. CLF’s growing investments against incumbents like Levin and Hayes further stretch Democrats’ finite funds, because now they need to spend in those districts to help incumbents withstand the onslaught.

Other incumbents also saw additional spending come in against them: Reps. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Susan Wild (D-Pa.); and Frank Mrvan (D-Ind.). CLF also upped its buys in three GOP-controlled districts held by Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) and retiring Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.).

The group is also adding $1.4 million to its digital ad reserves in districts across the country.