527s

Evergreen Progress, the 527 interest group backing Gov. Chris Gregoire and fueled by more than a million dollars mostly from labor unions and the Democratic Governors Association,  is unleashing its second series of ads critical of Republican Dino Rossi's record as a state senator.

The two ads, each one 15 seconds long, mention Rossi's votes against smaller class sizes and against giving veteran teachers raises. Though, as David Postman comments, Rossi's votes on the subjects were echoed by a number of Democrats at the time, including the-Governor Gary Locke.

The BIAW's new Change PAC television ads have now been released. According to Postman, they focus on the tribal casino deal that Gov. Gregoire authorized last year, which the Republicans are claiming was a quid pro quo.

The ad shows an elderly woman playing slot machines that land on pictures of the Democratic donkey logo and a winking Gregoire, but with no payout for the gambler. The ad says that "Christine Gregoire and tribal casinos are the only winners here."

Video of the ad is here at the Times' website.

The Gregoire campaign, much like their opponents did last week when Evergreen Progress went on the air with three television ads focusing on Dino Rossi's state senate record, are pushing back in advance of a third party television advertising buy by the BIAW's It's Time for a Change PAC. They are looking to set the tone before the ads hit the airwaves.

The Change PAC has not publicized which television advertisements it will be using, but its website, changeourgov.com, highlights videos from both the state Republican Party and MoveRed.org, the youth coalition of the King County Republican Party.

Dino Rossi's campaign has been fighting back early and often against new television ads attacking Rossi's record in the state Senate.

They put out a press release Thursday afternoon before the ad buy was even announced Friday morning, and now that the Rossi camp has seen the videos, they have more to say. Rossi today called the attacks old news and called the claims of the 527 that sponsored the ad, Evergreen Progress, false. 

The long wait is over. Washingtonians can now see just what kind of issue ads that the 527 group Evergreen Progress will be running. Today they launched a half million dollar ad buy consisting of three television ads discussing Dino Rossi's record as a state Senator.

The ads, seen here, touch on the topics of children's health care, prescription drugs and a patient's bill of rights

Third party spending has already been a major issue in the relatively young campaign for governor pitting Gov. Chris Gregoire in a re-match against Republican Dino Rossi. Now, according to a report today by the Seattle Times' David Postman, the game is about to get even more real.

A new left-leaning PAC called Evergreen Progress has been collecting money hand over fist lately from labor unions and the Democratic Governors Assocation who have combined for nearly three quarters of the $1.06 million the group has raised so far.

As for what the group plans on doing with that money, one can guess it will be a lot like what the BIAW has been doing to Gregoire.

Veteran political operative Floyd Brown made his name in 1988 by helping to create the infamous "Willie Horton" piece that dogged Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis with distorted facts and race-baiting tactics. Twenty years later, living in University Place, he hopes to make just as strong an impact.

The New York Times has an article on Mr. Brown from Saturday discussing his current operation.  Brown presides over two PACs, the National Campaign Fund and the Legacy Committee, and a 527 group called Citizens for a Safe and Prosperous America. Through those he hopes to create an ad that moves voters beyond what he calls the "tipping point" of a successful political attack ad.

Governor Chris Gregoire, who held a press conference  on June 18 on the subject of negative 527 ads leveled against her by the Dino Rossi-backing BIAW, has taken her act to a national crowd. Gregoire wrote a blog post on the left-leaning blog Daily Kos today to sound a warning to Democrats across the country.

Citing the recent brouhaha over the BIAW's ChangePAC radio ads in Washington, Gregoire suggested that third party attack ads would be prevalent nationally because of John McCain's fundraising gap with Barack Obama.

Below is a sample of what Gregoire wrote about the situation.

Congressional candidates will scramble today to raise money before the midnight deadline at the end of this fund-raising quarter. A healthy amount raised will mean they can pick up momentum or credibility. Poor fundraising can damage a campaign and might even lead a candidate to drop out. But just as nervously as they try to fill their own bank accounts, Republican candidates will also be looking at what the national committees raise.

But this cycle many Republican candidates might be looking around to third party organizations. While these third party groups -- whether they are 527 organizations or 501 c (4) -- cannot coordinate with campaigns or parties, but they can raise an unlimited amount of money.