by Michael Shepherd, Maine Politics Insider
This article was originally published in the Bangor Daily News political newsletter.
| Money isn’t everything in primary campaigns. But the Democratic gubernatorial primary is starting to shape up and separate those who have it from those who don’t. ◉ One example is $433,000 in ad reservations that came from former House Speaker Hannah Pingree between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to AdImpact. She put the vast majority of that into the Portland and Bangor broadcast markets but saved $39,000 for MS NOW and CNN. ◉ She is flexing the large cash on hand edge that she had at the end of the year, sitting $182,000 above Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. While Pingree could add more, these reservations are locked in for the final two months of the June primary election. ◉ Early reservations matter more this year. These candidates are going to be drowned out by the U.S. Senate race, which has already seen two Republican outside groups plan eight-figure buys in Maine. Democrats will follow. Candidates get priority and lower rates, but costs go up as time gets scarce. ◉ Especially given the din of the bigger race, I’m skeptical that anyone who isn’t on TV will win either the Democratic or Republican primaries. Bellows and former public health chief Nirav Shah are tracking to have enough money to do so, but Angus King III and Troy Jackson may not be able to get there. |
