Leading Off:
• SD-Sen: A few days ago, Democrat Rick Weiland ran a spot hitting Republican Mike Rounds for allegedly auctioning off permanent resident cards (EB-5s) to the highest bidders. This is a story that's been out there for quite a while, but so far, it doesn't appear to be hurting Rounds.
Rounds appears to be taking this attack seriously, though. Rounds' team very quickly produced a response ad that is set to start airing on Monday. Rounds' spot argues that Rounds had nothing to do with the EB-5 program, while also going on about how EB-5 is awesome and creates state jobs. The ad ends by accusing Weiland of hating jobs, and then decrying Weiland's negative ad.
Rounds has been seen as the clear frontrunner here and neither party looks like they're in a hurry to get involved here. Still, this is a very defensive-sounding spot from Rounds, and it may indicate he's concerned that Weiland could use this issue against him. It's worth watching if any national Democratic groups think that Rounds could be vulnerable on EB-5, or if they continue to write off Weiland's chances.
Senate:
• AK-Sen: The NRSC attacks Democratic Sen. Mark Begich as a big spender. Begich himself goes after the Koch brothers for attacking him, accusing them of being involved in the lay offs of local workers. The DSCC also deploys another $570,000 here.
• AR-Sen: Senate Majority PAC shells out another $254,000 against Republican Rep. Tom Cotton.
• AZ-Gov: The RGA goes after Democrat Fred DuVal on education in a Spanish language spot.
• KY-Sen: Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes hits Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell for barely attending vital committee meetings. MoveOn also ties McConnell to crazy rich people.
McConnell has two spots (here and here). The first has a number of scary headlines, and argues that McConnell's leadership is needed now. The second spot mostly goes after Obama, mentioning Grimes backed Obama in 2008. The pro-McConnell Kentucky Opportunity Coalition also shells out another $142,000 (here and here).
• LA-Sen: Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy is the latest Republican to seize on immigration, portraying Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu as a vote for amnesty.
• MN-Sen: Democratic Sen. Al Franken accuses Republican foe Mike McFadden of using a tax loophole for his company. Up till now Franken's spots have been mostly positive and haven't mentioned McFadden much.
• NC-Sen: The National Education Association spends a hefty $1.729 million hitting Republican Thom Tillis for education cuts
• NH-Sen: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is out with a spot for Scott Brown just ahead of the Sept. 9 Republican primary. This one features Mitt Romney sitting on what looks like a very comfortable couch and singing Brown's praises.
Also on the GOP side, Ending Spending returns to the air in the Granite State and once again accuses Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of using her Senate vote to profit. The group's last spot dealt with similar themes but was pulled for being... not exactly accurate. The price-tag for this spot is $598,000.
• NRA: The NRA has more expenditures against Democrats in Senate races in Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Gubernatorial:
• AR-Gov: Republican Asa Hutchinson takes the incredibly controversial stance that the government should save money.
• FL-Gov: Democrat Charlie Crist ties Republican Gov. Rick Scott to special interests. The Florida Republican Party goes after Crist, blaming him for high unemployment during his governorship. The spot uses some of the most over-dramatic music I've heard in a campaign ad, making it sound like Crist has been possessed by a demon.
• KS-Gov: Kansas Values skewers Republican Gov. Sam Brownback on education cuts.
• NE-Gov: The RGA has their second spot in what was a very quiet contest until a few weeks ago. This one accuses Democrat Chuck Hassebrook of wanting to use taxpayer dollars on undocumented immigrants. So far national Democrats haven't been playing here, but we'll see if the RGA's spending encourages them to take a look at this race.
• NM-Gov: Republican Susana Martinez attacks Democrat Gary King on the minimum wage.
• RI-Gov: Cranston Mayor Allan Fung has one last spot ahead of the Sept. 9 GOP primary. This one touts Mitt Romney's endorsement, but Romney doesn't actually appear in person. Instead, audio of what sounds like a Romney robocall plays, as Romney says how awesome and conservative Fung is. Somehow, I doubt Romney will be employed much as a Fung surrogate in this blue state if Fung beats Ken Block on Tuesday.
• SC-Gov: Democrat Vincent Sheheen once again attacks Republican Gov. Nikki Haley for covering up a major digital security breach.
• TX-Gov: Democrat Wendy Davis goes after Republican Greg Abbott on education cuts. She also pledges to reduce the number of standardized tests, which is not an issue I've ever seen used in an ad before.
House:
• AZ-02: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce portrays Democratic Rep. Ron Barber as a lapdog for national Democrats. Barber's spot accuses Republican Martha McSally of wanting to cut Medicare. We also have a size of the buy for a recent pro-Barber spot from Americans for Responsible Solutions, a group run by Barber's old boss Gabrielle Giffords: $558,000.
• CA-31: Democrat Pete Aguilar's first general election spot stars his eight-grade teacher.
• CO-06: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce apparently thinks that Nancy Pelosi is still toxic in swing districts four years after losing the speakership. Their new spot ties Democrat Andrew Romanoff to Pelosi, and doesn't even bother to mention Obama.
• FL-02: House Majority PAC accuses Republican Rep. Steve Southerland of voting against healthcare for veterans.
• IA-03: The DCCC portrays Republican David Young as a creature of Washington.
• IL-17: Former Republican Rep. Bobby Schilling rides his motorcycle around as he touts his local roots.
• MI-01: The DCCC goes after Republican Rep. Dan Benishek on Medicare.
• NE-02: Democrat Brad Ashford has his first general election spot. Like many candidates he focuses on being bipartisan, but he does go one step beyond the others: He declares he'll create a group of 25 members to "set aside partisanship and focus on solving problems." Easier said than done.
• NH-01: AmericanUnity PAC recently ran a spot for Dan Innis ahead of Tuesday's Republican primary and we have a size-of-the-buy: $334,000. No deep-pocked groups have been coming to the aid of Innis' primary rival Frank Guinta.
• NH-02: Just ahead of the Sept 9. Republican primary, state Rep. Marilinda Garcia accuses former state Sen. Gary Lambert of voting with liberals in the legislature. Freedom's Defense also has a very cheap-looking spot for Garcia attacking Lambert.
• NY-11: Democrat Domenic Recchia goes biographical.
• OH-14: Republican Rep. Dave Joyce is out with his first general election spot, portraying himself as a regular guy who just wants you to call him "Dave".