The pro-Mitt Romney Super PAC Restore our Future is pouring an additional $493,000 into ads aimed at Newt Gingrich in Georgia, where the former U.S. House speaker still leads in the polls.
The buy will roughly double the number of Restore ads originally scheduled to air between now and the state primary Tuesday. The group will continue to air a spot titled "Risk" that questions Gingrich’s allegiances to former President Ronald Reagan, whom Gingrich often invokes during appearances.
At least one consultant -- noting that Romney's wife, Ann, and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania will be campaigning in Georgia on Thursday-- said the new buy may indicate the former governor of Massachusetts doesn't think he can win Georgia.
"If Romney thought he could win, he'd be here, not his wife," GOP strategist Joel McElhannon said. "These ads may soften Newt enough for Santorum to win. I think [the Romney camp's] thinking is that if Newt doesn't win Georgia ... it becomes a two-man race."
Neither Romney's nor Gingrich's campaigns have made buys in Georgia. It's been a proxy ad war this week between Restore our Future and the pro-Gingrich super PAC Winning our Future, which has purchased about $700,000 worth of time in Georgia.
The group also bought ads on network radio, which could be heard Wednesday afternoon on at least three Atlanta-area radio stations. One airing on AM 750 and 95.5FM News/Talk WSB talked up Gingrich’s push for cheaper gas and said Romney is “not the type to pump his own gasoline.”
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