Hasta La Creative!

American Crossroads, Restore Our Future, Crossroads GPS and Americans for Prosperity: Four Republican organizations that have so dominated their party’s presidential advertising that their collective efforts surpass those of their own nominee. Not only will they have spent far more on TV than Governor Mitt Romney’s campaign when all’s said and done — no surprise since groups pay higher ad rates than candidates do — but it’s safe to bet they will have aired significantly more spots than the Romney campaign, a relinquishing of message control never before seen from any presidential nominee.

The success of this gambit ultimately will be judged against the outcome, not only of the election in terms of whether Romney wins or loses, but of a Romney administration’s ability to marshal support from various factions of the GOP. Still, a few things already can be said about the crater these four groups have blown into America’s political terrain.

First, they provided invaluable air cover for a largely absent Republican nominee during the first five months of the race. Between April and August, Romney had fewer resources to devote to advertising. To the extent that the race “broke” temporarily for President Barack Obama, it only happened in September. By keeping the heat on Obama and amplifying every drag on the country’s slow-healing economy, these groups kept the race tight for four months and, for the most part, continue to boost Romney today. Americans for Prosperity did its heavy lifting for Romney back in August and early September; the other three are still on the air in a big way.

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