Someone elsewhere said Kerry was just conserving cash since he'll get lots of publicity in July with the VP pick and the convention. I don't pretend to fully understand the campaign laws but I thought Kerry, unless he opts out of matching funding, had to spend his money before the convention.
As for the Senate races LA looks good for the GOP as the GOP candidate is polling well above the Dem potentials. AR will probably not be a GOP pickup as they were not able to get a decent candidate to go against the vulnerable Dem.

Maybe they realize that Kerry is a drag on the ticket,and it helps their Senate candidates to not have his droning voice reminding people to vote GOP.

And if he's conserving money, why were they still running ads here in the Upper Left Washington last weekend?

Raoul:

He's spending his money on all those campaign consultants and advisors. And I'll bet that they are all charging a nice premium.

It's odd, they've been talking about opting out of federal funds because they have so much more pre-convention money to spend than post-convention. You would think they'd be going on a spending splurge now. If they don't have money, why did they even consider opting out?

The answer may not be money, but that the ads they were using weren't working in the "Red" states and they want to come up with a new pitch before spending more. Their ads were probably working in the "Blue" states like "Upper Left Washington."

AWW, is correct. Arkansas is doable, but the GOP isn't doing it. (Illinois is another that is acheivable, but..)

Raoul
Precisely. Some Democratic Senators are actively trying to shut him up. There is no upside benefit at all in some Southern States. I suggest that is the reason for the removing of ads in La. and AR.

I'm afraid the GOP is really missing a tremendous opportunity in much of the South, in House races also.

Slightly off topic, but why am I seeing Bush ads in Alabama? Isn't it about the reddest state around?

pj:

The Black Caucus ridiculed their ads earlier in the week.

Rick,
Yes I see alot of Bush ads also. I guess they have money to burn. I don't pretend to know anything about campaign finance laws, but PJ seems to imply you use it or lose it, perhaps.

oj - yes, that's probably it, wasn't working with their black base in MO, LA, AK. Arizona on the other hand could be a give-up.

PJ - to your point NRO Kerry spot notes some recent polls. Bush up +16 in Arizona so yes Kerry might have given up there. For Bush the good news of Bush +4 in Ohio but offset by Kerry leading a bit in Florida.

If you're seeing ads in a non-battleground state, they may be national cable spots.

Speaking of which, do any of y'all see the New Mexico tourism ad with Bill Richardson in it as often as I do? (I smell a rat with that one.)

But wasn't John Edwards, the Cabana Boy's Cabana Boy, supposed to put all those Southern states in play? I mean, surely every New York Times columnist knows what the rubes want . . .

AC - the polls are a bit all over the place but it appears only NC and FL might be in play in the South right now. (Recent polls in NC had Bush +15 but also only +3). NC may be only due to some Edwards bounce that may fade. And in 2002 the pundits called FL a battleground states but the GOP easily swept all of the statewide races.

Bush won 72% of the counties in 2000. He cannot expect to do worse this time, but for Kerry to win, he needs to get pockets of strength in those Red areas. It appears he is giving up. His pandering before the NAACP yesterday (including a black power salute) reveals that very clearly.

Kerry will be fighting to hold Blue counties in NJ, WA, IL, MI, NM, and others. With Bush leading in WI and close in MN, Kerry just has too much to defend.

With respect to the NAACP, I think it would behoove some prominent Republican (not Bush) to simply say that the leadership of the NAACP basically believes Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, and Rod Paige are house slaves (Paige said as much in his editorial today), so why should the Republicans deal with racists when they have real people at the heart of their administration? The media wouldn't highlight it, but someone like Kay Hutchinson or Liddy Dole could find the right forum.