2012 campaign ad spending tops $23 million

More than $23 million has been spent on campaign television ads so far in the 2012 election with the conservative-aligned outside group American Crossroads accounting for nearly half of that total, according to an analysis of data by the Washington Post.

American Crossroads, which is incorporated as a super PAC, and its affiliate Crossroads GPS, a not-for-profit organization, have dumped $11.2 million into television ads in states across the country as of Nov. 20. Crossroads has focused its spending, not surprisingly, in and around the Washington, D.C. media market — $1.2 million in ad disbursements — but has also spent big money in the Denver ($805,000) and Tampa ($539,000) media markets.

The spending by Crossroads dwarfs that of any other interest group or party committee active in the 2012 election. The Democratic National Committee places a distant second with $5.2 million; Americans for Prosperity, the tea party-aligned group affiliated with the wealthy Koch brothers, has spent $3 million on ads so far in the election.

Spending by the Republican presidential field lags well behind. As of Nov. 20, none of the Republican presidential candidates had spent $1 million on ads with Texas Rep. Ron Paul ($900,000) and Texas Gov. Rick Perry ($800,000) leading the way.

Starting today, you can track whose spending what where on TV ads via “Mad Money” — the Washington Post’s latest gizmo to bring you the best data about the 2012 election.

Every week — fueled by the amazing people at the Campaign Media Analysis Group (CMAG) — we’ll have not only the latest ads being run by the candidates, party committees and other outside groups but also where they are running the commercials and how much they are spending on them.

You can also track back to see where money has been spent (and on what) in the campaign to date. Bookmark “Mad Money”. (You’ll thank us later.) And make sure to check back to the Fix every Thursday for a look inside the ad wars.

Enjoy!