Groups pour thousands into N.Y. special

March 19, 2009

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R) and venture capitalist Scott Murphy (D) may be the names on the ballot, but they’re not the only ones spending heavily to win New York’s 20th congressional district.

Outside organizations have poured more than $1 million into the contest to fill Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D) House seat in just the past seven days, according to media reports and records filed with the Federal Election Commission.

The National Republican Trust PAC, a conservative organization based in Washington, has spent $239,000 in recent days on a television ad and on massive e-mail communications aimed at boosting Tedisco’s fortunes.

The Service Employees International Union’s New York branch leads the way on the Democratic side, having dropped about $226,000 on a radio ad running throughout the district and on mailings on Murphy’s behalf.

Both the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) are running advertisements, having spent $172,000 and $147,000, respectively, over the past week on mail and media. Last week, Tedisco expressed frustration with the level of control national Republicans had over his campaign and said he would reassert control over the NRCC…

Click here to read the full story.