What separates issue advocacy and political advocacy is a line in the sand drawn on a windy day. The Democratic and Republican party committees are prodding their candidates to raise more money earlier as a cushion against a possible barrage of issue ads. There is a real awareness out there that you don't want to be in a position where outside factors control the outcome of your race. In addition, Sallick said, the DCCC plans its own issue advocacy effort. Some on the other side have similar anxieties.
Some groups are on the air already.
The group is tailoring its commercials to issues of local concern, and commending lawmakers as well as attacking them. Political director Daniel Weiss said the group decided to begin its advertising more than five months before the election in part for fear of being drowned out by competing advertising later in the year. Weiss also said the group is concentrating its efforts on fewer districts this cycle. We believe it's going to take more contact to have the same amount of impact as in '96. The group, organized by the American Insurance Association and run by GOP veteran David Carney, plans to promote its own message rather than simply respond to union commercials.