Ann Kirkpatrick has said she needs $1 million to win the Democratic primary in AZ-01. Emily's List has upped that amount, saying their chosen candidate needs $1.5 million before the Sept. 2 primary.
Why does the DCCC's chosen candidate need $1.5 million to defeat an environmental attorney (Howard Shanker, $171,000 total to date), a long unemployed TV newswoman (Mary Kim Titla, $223,000 total to date), and a part-time cab driver (who doesn't show up on FEC reports at all)?
Part of the problem may be Kirkpatrick's pursuit of a narrow segment of the population. (The 13% of the American public who is happy with a Democratic Congress that votes Republican.)
Another of her many problems is the poor performance she has turned in during the joint appearances of the candidates. "She seems more like she is running for homecoming queen than Congress," said one disenchanted member of the audience.
It may be easy to spend $1.5 million in a congressional race in New York City, or Philadelphia or Los Angeles. But in rural Arizona, that is a lot of money. You couldn't actually purchase the Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff (the largest city in the district) for $1.5 million, but you could become a significant shareholder.
That kind of money probably means a decision to purchase saturation coverage in the Phoenix TV market. The Phoenix metro area has its own four congressional districts. Someone who is desperate, or has too much money, could buy a lot of time on the Phoenix stations hoping to get a little signal bleed out into the rural First District.
But you have to question whether that is a good use of scarce Democratic dollars. Grassroots organizing is more important than TV money in a primary where the congressional race is the top of the ticket.
Some Democrat will represent John McCain in Congress after he loses his own race. It might as well be a Democrat who disagrees with him on the issues.