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SALT LAKE CITY — One of the nation's hottest political contests, Utah's 4th Congressional District, may well end up shattering Utah records for spending on campaign ads.
Since Sept. 1, outside SuperPacs backing one campaign or the other have spent more than a $1 million combined on ads, which are appearing rapid-fire touting or targeting both candidates.
Anti-Matheson, pro-Love contributions coming from the Center for Individual Freedom and National Republican Congressional Committee total more than $500,000 in the last three weeks. The groups Center Forward and House Majority PAC spent slightly more on anti-Love, pro-Matheson ads in the same time. According to campaign strategist Tom Love, the spending is unprecedented in the last 30 years of Utah politics.
Federal law says candidates can't coordinate with the SuperPACs, or have any control of spending or messaging.
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In recent weeks, Rep. Jim Matheson has attacked Mia Love's fiscal proposal that would cut billions of dollars in federal programs, including student financial aid and local law enforcement grants."All I know is what we're doing," Love said. "I'm really focusing on what the campaign, things that are coming from this campaign. Obviously, we can't control what comes in from outside."
Matheson points out the challenge to a campaign of outside groups spending money on ads.
"There are organizations that may be trying to help you," Mathson said. "And what they put on the air might not be consistent with what you'd like to be putting on the air."
A 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision called Citizens United swept out a century of campaign finance rules and led to unprecedented ad spending from groups that don't have to disclose their donors.
"This being one of the top five races, congressional races, in America, the PAC spending is clearly unprecedented," Tom Love said. "It's almost as if we're a swing state."
The two candidates face off in a debate next week, and TV viewers can expect to see wall-to-wall ads about both candidates until election day, Nov. 6.
