Democrats' spending gives edge to GOP

Importance of 2006
One Democratic strategist, speaking on condition of anonymity so as not to inflame tensions with Dean, pointed out that the chairman has raised and spent a significant amount of money, arguing that winning this year is crucial to the party winning in 2008.

But Dean's strategy has vast support from state party officials who have been pleading for years for help from the Democratic national committee. State party officials say the money, in turn, will help Democrats in races up and down the ballot, from gubernatorial to congressional to state legislative contests.

"The investment in the state parties has made them stronger," said Mark Brewer, the chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party and president of the Association of State Democratic Chairs. "There are more door-to-door canvassers and they're working for the whole ticket. It's a different way of spending the same resources."

Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern said field operatives hired by the state party with help from the DNC will work together with staffers from the House and Senate campaign committees in mobilizing voters to help all candidates on the Ohio ballot. Ohio is one of the mot competitive states in the country, with close races for governor, Senate, and several House races.

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Get-out-the-vote battle
Dean defenders said the party's two campaign committees - the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee - are focused exclusively on the upcoming race, while Dean needs to have a longer view that builds the party for the future.

"If you want to win the presidency you have to win Ohio," Redfern said.

But the DNC's money has been directed to all states, many of them solidly Republican where Democratic candidates for national office stand little or no chance. Still, DNC officials said the $12 million devoted to a national get-out-the-vote effort is greater than the DNC's commitment in past elections.

The party's campaign committees have taken the lead in supporting Democratic House and Senate candidates in competitive races. The congressional campaign committee is running its own voter mobilization effort with the help of Michael Whouley, a highly regarded party strategist.

Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., the DCCC chairman who has quarreled with Dean over DNC spending, last week obtained a $2.4 million pledge from the DNC's get-out-the-vote money to specifically mobilize voters in 40 competitive House seats. Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat and chairman of the senatorial campaign committee, is still negotiating with the DNC for a sum to help Senate candidates.

GOP efforts
Meanwhile, the RNC has already spent more than $300,000 in advertising against Rep. Harold Ford, the Democratic Senate candidate in Tennessee, and more than $1 million against Rep. Sherrod Brown, the Democratic Senate candidate in Ohio. The DNC plans to spend no money advertising, leaving that task to the party's campaign committees.

Still, some Democratic strategists say their candidates have indeed benefited from Dean's decision to send much of the party's money to the states. Others say the party's decision to overhaul outdated voters files has provided an invaluable service.

"Our campaign would have had to spent our manpower and our resources if we had to build it from scratch," said Michael Malaise, the campaign manager for Nick Lampson, the Democrat seeking to fill the seat formerly held by House Republican Leader Tom DeLay.

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