Obama, McCain Saturating Va. With TV Ads

Obama's efforts in Virginia are apparent on the airwaves.

From mid-June until last week, Obama spent about $9 million on TV ads in Virginia, compared with McCain's $5 million.

Obama is now spending about $250,000 a day on local network TV in Virginia, compared with McCain's $30,000, according to Evan Tracey, president of the Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks ad buys.

The TV advertising imbalance is being partially offset by the Republican National Committee, which began a $33,000-a-day media buy in areas of Virginia outside the Washington market, Tracey said.

McCain spent heavily on local network TV in Northern Virginia earlier in the year, but he has pulled advertising from those stations and is bolstering his presence in Hampton Roads.

"Obviously, I think they had to make a resource decision," Tracey said. "He has to make sure he has resources to match Obama at the end of the campaign. . . . But it's a gamble, because Northern Virginia is where races are won and lost."

Trey Walker, McCain's mid-Atlantic regional director, said the decision was strategic and not about resources. The campaign has shifted its Northern Virginia ads to local cable stations to help target specific voter blocs. McCain and Obama also are on the air on national network TV.

"We are at parity, saturation-wise in Northern Virginia, with the Obama campaign," Walker said. "We are using a tactic we need to turn out voters on Election Day. Clearly, when you are doing cable television buys, you can target certain demographics you are unable to do on local" television.

McCain's campaign also is opening a dozen new offices and will be increasing its paid staff in the state to 50, DuHaime said.

Although Obama and Biden have appeared jointly or separately in the state almost a dozen times since mid-summer, McCain and his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, have appeared only once, at a rally last month in Fairfax City.

McCain is instead relying on surrogates and local party committees to drum up enthusiasm for his campaign. Joe McCain, the candidate's brother, headlined a "Veterans for McCain" rally yesterday in Loudoun County.

Obama surrogates also are blanketing the state.