Following a now familiar pattern in the GOP nominating contest, Rick
Santorum’s Feb. 7 hat trick and sudden surge in the Michigan primary
polls have motivated Mitt Romney’s ad men. Restore Out Future, the
Romney-backing super PAC, has bought more than $800,000 of TV time in
Michigan, slathering local broadcasts with the same caustic goo that
corroded Newt Gingrich’s candidacy in Iowa and Florida. “Washington
insider” will be the two words heard most by Michiganders in the next
two weeks. But, despite his campaign’s massive fundraising disadvantage,
words of praise for Santorum won’t be far behind.
The Red, White and Blue Fund, a super PAC backing Santourm, has lined
up nearly $700,000 in TV ads for Michigan. That’s not much less that
the Romney PAC’s total and it could counteract Romney’s potent attack.
This is no small thing. As Slate‘s Dave Weigel pointed out in a smart piece
earlier this week, super PACs, despite their arch-villainous depiction
in some circles, are leveling the field in the Republican primary
spending wars.
