Mass. GOP Gomez Makes Big Ad Buy

The Massachusetts GOP has ponied up more than $400,000 for a TV ad blitz on behalf of Senate hopeful Gabriel Gomez’s battle against Democratic Rep. Ed Markey, Politico reports.

Gomez and Massachusetts Republicans have bought $411,000 worth of airtime in Boston and Springfield and will start airing ads Wednesday.

This is the second TV buy for the Massachusetts GOP and, according to Bay State Democrats, brings their spending total up to approximately $800,000.

Brad Dayspring, communications director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, believes the race “clearly winnable” for Gomez, but said it would be unwise for the committee to discuss the specifics of its activities in Massachusetts.

“Markey has thrown every big gun at Gomez and still leads only by 5-7 points,” Dayspring said.

“Sun Tzu once said, ‘Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness.’

I think that’s a good campaign strategy as far as specifics on our strategy to win.”

Many in Markey’s camp have claimed the NRSC and national Republicans are attempting to “buy” the race for Gomez.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., sent out a fundraising e-mail Friday asking donors to get behind Gomez’s efforts, while the candidate has made efforts to distance himself from Republican leaders, a move that has been viewed with some skepticism by Markey’s aides.

“The national Republican Party is trying to use this election as part of their efforts to obstruct President Obama’s every move while enacting a radical right-wing GOP agenda, and Gabriel Gomez’s laughable claims of independence that come at the very moment he’s launching a TV ad buy paid for with money from national Republicans have no credibility,” said Andrew Zucker, a Markey campaign spokesman.

The Markey campaign is also going up with its own big ad blitz this week, having purchased $631,000 in broadcast and cable ads starting Tuesday.

Republican sources claim Markey has spent a total of $1.8 million to date in the general election, which takes place June 25.