NASHVILLE – The National Republican Congressional Committee dropped another $195,134 for television ads attacking U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis, R-Tenn., while a group with ties to former Republican consultant Dick Morris has is spending $168,834 for commercials backing Davis’ GOP opponent, Scott DesJarlais, Federal Election Commission filings show.
Meanwhile, independent expenditure reports show the National Rifle Association’s Political Victory Fund is rushing to the defense of several embattled pro-gun rights Democrats nationwide, including Davis.
The NRA-PVF reported spending $6,008.45 on Thursday to print and mail out direct mail in support of Davis, a Pall Mall Democrat facing Republican Scott DesJarlais in a tight 4th Congressional District seen by national experts as a tossup.
Meanwhile, FEC filings for groups making independent expenditures show the National Republican Congressional Committee dropped another $195,135 on Friday and Saturday on television ads attacking Davis. That brings the NRCC’s total spending on attack ads to $521,287 in recent weeks, according to FEC filings.
And yet another independent expenditure group, the Super PAC for America, an organization with ties to former Republican pollster/political consultant and current commentator Dick Morris, reported spending $168,834 on ads supporting DesJarlais.
That brings the combined total of spending either attacking Davis or supporting DesJarlais to $1,186,958, according to FEC filings.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has previously reported spending $286,000 in ads attacking DesJarlais while the Tennessee Democratic Party has reported spending $52,000 on direct mail pieces in support of Davis.
The NRA-PVF, which previously endorsed Davis, also reported spending on a number of other “Blue Dog” Democrats including $1,298.19 on direct mail backing U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, R-N.C., who faces a challenge from Republican Jeff Miller in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District.
It reported spending $2,374.19 on behalf of U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., and helping other pro-gun rights Democrats including U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo.
The election is Nov. 2 and Thursday is the last day for early voting in Tennessee.