WASHINGTON — The House Democrats’ nonprofit arm announced Monday it has reserved $8.4 million worth of commercial time on TV and radio stations in 19 congressional districts — with the biggest share targeting Rep. Tom Kean Jr. and a New York lawmaker representing the northern suburbs of New York City.
House Majority Forward, which does not disclose its donors, earmarked $682,500 for ads in the New York City media market against Kean (R-Westfield) and Rep Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.). The New York market is the nation’s largest and is getting more money than anywhere else.
The funds are part of a $15 million campaign that also includes $6.8 million for digital ads and direct mail.
The list also includes four Republican-held districts in Pennsylvania, which alone could determine which party controls the House in January.
Kean, who returned to Washington June 30 after being hospitalized for depression, is rated as a slight underdog to former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett, the Democratic nominee, by Inside Elections. The race is considered a tossup by the Cook Political Report.
Kean entered July with $3.6 million in the bank. Bennett had $1.4 million after winning the Democratic primary.
The ads also will run in districts in Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Oregon and Wisconsin.