Democrats are starting to use a campaign finance loophole to save big bucks on TV advertising — after failing to stop Republicans from doing the same.
Earlier this month, the Federal Election Commission deadlocked on a case brought forth by Democrats asking whether joint fundraising committees can run ads for candidates, as some Senate Republicans have been doing for months.
The ads are essentially campaign ads, but with a nominal fundraising message. The ads are placed at the prices offered to candidates, which is cheaper than the rates paid by other groups, but are largely paid for by political parties or other groups instead of the campaigns themselves. (Watchdog groups are now trying to close the loophole by asking the Federal Communications Commission to block the ads from being placed at the campaign rate.)
With no FEC decision issued, the practice was effectively allowed to continue. Senate Democrats’ campaign arm said in response that it would “utilize the same tactics” so “our campaigns do not operate at a disadvantage in the closing weeks of the campaign.”…