DONNA CASSATA
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats are canceling $2.8 million in advertising in a competitive race in Virginia and steering the money to California to boost vulnerable freshman Rep. Ami Bera.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had targeted the open seat in the northern Virginia suburbs as a possible pick-up after the retirement of 17-term Republican Rep. Frank Wolf. Democrat John Foust is locked in a close race with Republican state Del. Barbara Comstock.
A Democratic official who tracks ad buys said Democrats were shifting the money to help Bera, who is trying to hold onto the Sacramento-area seat in a contest against former Republican Rep. Doug Ose. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss the spending.
Foust and a Democratic-leaning outside group, House Majority PAC, still plan to spend heavily in the district through the end of the month. The House Majority PAC has reserved some $779,000 of ad time for broadcast and cable next week while Foust is slated to spend about $1 million over two weeks.
The National Republican Congressional Committee has reserved some $2.2 million through the end of the month and in the days leading up to the election. Comstock has not reserved time but that could change.
National Democrats recently scaled back spending in a dozen districts as once-promising opportunities never materialized while shifting money to two targeted GOP seats in Florida and Nebraska and four Democratic-held seats.
With less than a month to Election Day, national campaigns typically shift spending to help struggling incumbents.
The ad moves were first reported by Roll Call.
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