Chambliss hits the local airwaves

Those relentless TV ads that tout and trash politicians are back.

Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss launched his fall ad campaign this week with the debut of two campaign commercials, the first in a heavy $5.2 million order of ads to air statewide until Election Day on Nov. 4.

That includes $2.76 million the candidate ordered to air 1,807 campaign commercials on Atlanta’s four major network affiliates.

So far, Chambliss is the only candidate running local broadcast television ads on WSB, WAGA, WXIA and WGCL. The incumbent from Moultrie likely won’t be alone for long.

Officials with Barack Obama’s campaign say the Democratic presidential candidate plans to buy more local TV time in Atlanta now that the party’s national convention is over.

Obama’s Republican opponent, John McCain, hasn’t bought any broadcast time in Atlanta. But McCain’s commercials can be seen on Atlanta cable television.

The size of the Chambliss ad buy clearly shows how much financial muscle the GOP incumbent has. It also highlights just how daunting is the task faced by his Democratic challenger, Jim Martin, who lags well behind Chambliss in fund-raising. Martin hasn’t purchased any commercial TV time since the Aug. 5 Democratic runoff election.

“Part of what we’re doing is saying we’re ready and we’re not taking anything for granted,” Chambliss spokeswoman Michelle Hitt Grasso said.

Martin campaign officials say they aren’t worried.

“We already have commercials in the can. Fund-raising is going well and we expect to be up soon,” Martin campaign manager Ellery Gould said. “We are raising enough [money] that we feel we’re going to be competitive on television.”

The two ads, titled “Values” and “Julianne,” are soft upbeat commercials aimed at reintroducing Chambliss to voters.

Records filed at one Atlanta station show that the Chambliss campaign ordered a half-dozen spots to run during major network broadcasts of speeches by Obama, former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, during the Democratic National Convention. The ads cost more than $50,000.

Evan Tracey, a political media specialist and founder of Campaign Media Analysis Group in Arlington, Va., called the Chambliss ad buy “sort of the new old strategy to turn up the volume as loud as you possibly can between Labor Day and Election Day.”

Tracey also said that Chambliss is probably reserving airtime early in case Georgia turns into a battleground state and competition for airtime drives up ad rates.

Obama spent $1.25 million over the summer to run commercials on Atlanta’s broadcast stations. But those ads went off the air last week.

If Obama goes back on the air in Georgia, Tracey said, it’ll mean the Democrat thinks he has a shot at carrying the state.

Tracey said he isn’t surprised McCain hasn’t bought local airtime in Atlanta.

“If they [the McCain campaign] have to buy Georgia,” Tracey said. “It’s a sign that the canary’s in the coal mine.”