Florida congressional races attracting national money

WASHINGTON -- The independent groups spending hundreds of millions nationwide on congressional campaigns are moving into two competitive South Florida House races with an ad blitz.

The cash infusion by the national players suggests both parties see prime opportunities in Florida to determine control of the House.

A powerful action committee with ties to Republican strategist Karl Rove and former Republican Party chair Ed Gillespie is targeting Rep. Ron Klein, the Boca Raton Democrat who wrested the Broward-Palm Beach district from the GOP in 2006. Klein, facing a challenge from Republican Allen West, is being bashed for supporting healthcare reform in TV ads that began airing Friday.

America's Families First Action Fund, a group with ties to Democrats, is spending more than $400,000 to take on state Rep. David Rivera, who is challenging Democrat Joe Garcia for a GOP-controlled seat. The group is also active in House districts in Colorado, Arizona, Illinois, New Mexico, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, but as of Friday, it was spending the most money on the Garcia-Rivera race.

The Miami district ``presents a key pickup opportunity in what is otherwise a very challenging year,'' said Ramona Oliver, a spokeswoman for the fund.

NEW RULES

The two groups can raise and spend unlimited money, thanks to a controversial Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that removed curbs on independent expenditures by wealthy individuals, corporations and unions. It frees them to spend without limit from their own treasuries on campaign ads and advocacy efforts so long as they're not coordinated with the campaigns. They must also regularly disclose donors to the Federal Election Commission.

Some groups -- including Rove's -- have also set up separate divisions not required to disclose contributors but that can take unlimited contributions; Democrats have assailed Republicans for the proliferation of those groups, though America's Families First has created one as well. Oliver said that group is not involved in the Florida race.

America's Families notes in a document obtained by the New York Times that ``right wing groups are on a path to raise a record amount of independent funding and progressive forces have to be prepared for the worst.''

Indeed, Republican-leaning organizations are outspending Democrats by a nearly 9-1 margin in House and Senate contests, a recent Wesleyan Media Project study found.

And in the election's closing weeks, with some analysts suggesting Republicans will take control of the House, increasing amounts are being spent on House races.

Rove's American Crossroads and several other Republican leaning groups are pouring $50 million into 50 or 60 competitive House races, said Peter Stone of the Center for Public Integrity, which is tracking outside spending.

American Crossroads spokesman Jonathan Collegio said the group is contributing $227,000 for TV ads against Klein and that more spending is possible.

American Crossroads -- along with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the anti-tax Club for Growth -- is already spending money in Florida on behalf of front-running U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio.

A Klein spokeswoman said he was undeterred by the ads. ``Karl Rove tried to beat Ron Klein once before,'' said Melissa Silverman, referring to Rove's role as former President George W. Bush's chief political strategist in 2006 when Klein defeated Rep. Clay Shaw. ``He failed that time and will fail again.''

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