According to a source in a recent article on CNN's PoliticalTicker, Mitt Romney's campaign has purchased $1.2 million in television airtime for the upcoming Michigan primary.
$1.2 million for airtime in Romney's home state.
The Romney campaign feels it prudent to spend quite a lot of money for a primary in a state that, frankly, he should be able to walk away with uncontested. Such a large push in Michigan is proof that the campaign is starting to strain.
Breakdown and analysis after the jump.
Being a Michigander originally, the fact that Romney is feeling the need to advertise so heavily in his home state is a sign that the Santorum's rather small airtime in comparison is resonating with voters. The recent faux pas that have humbled Romney, such as the lack of concern for certain (rather large) groups of people and making casual bets with fellow candidates during a debate.
I'm going to chalk this up to Romney's recent media problems. The man has a problem getting people to like him, personally as well as politically, which, at this point in the cycle, one shouldn't be having a problem with, especially if they claim to be the frontrunner. Heading into Super Tuesday a few weeks from now, Romney needs to find a way to get people to like him, more than they have at any point in the campaign thus far.
Let's be clear: Romney is still in the lead in Michigan. The closer the margin, though, the more Santorum can rattle the Romney camp, and that's exactly what Rick wants.
"Being a Michigander originally, the fact that Romney is feeling the need to advertise so heavily in his home state is a sign that the Santorum's rather small airtime in comparison is resonating with voters."
ReplyDelete-- I definitely think this is one perspective to the increase in media intensity and brevity, which the Romney campaign is displaying. I also believe that the campaign to some degree mirrors the Obama Campaign in 2008. Both campaigns had and have a large amount of money and the ability to spend the money on campaign advertisements, so why not flex a little muscle, or in this case budget? Lets see if the same expansive broadcasting of his name (Romney) resonates with the voters in the Republican electorate as it did for President Obama in the Democratic electorate. Just a thought. I am interested to see if any of the news syndicates make this connection.
Romney has some financial muscle, true, but he shouldn't be spending it in a state he should be walking away with. The rest of the Midwest is where he needs to be spending money, and diverting resources away from other states to be competitive in his home state is at best wasteful and at worst ominous of troubles ahead.
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