Newt Gingrich complained vociferously in Iowa about how Mitt Romney’s campaign and the super PAC supporting him, Restore our Future, was dominating the airwaves. In recent weeks, a super PAC behind Gingrich — Winning the Future — has been much more active, buoyed by casino mogul Sheldon Adelson’s donations. But NBC reports that in Florida, pro-Romney forces spent four times as much as Gingrich backers on ads:
The grand total spent in Florida during the Republican primary is $24.4 million with $19.9 million spent between the campaigns and outside-group supporters of Romney and Gingrich, according to NBC/Smart Media Group Delta. (*Winning Our Future promised to spend another $3.2 million statewide, but so far that hasn’t materialized):
– Total Pro-Romney: $15.9 million (Restore Our Future: $8.9 million, Romney $7 million)
– Total Pro-Gingrich: $4 million (Winning Our Future $2.8 million, Gingrich $1.2 million)
In South Carolina, Gingrich was outspent, but by a smaller factor: $4.7 million vs. $2.4 million, according to NBC News. If Gingrich loses Florida, look for him to point out Romney’s huge spending advantage — especially helpful in a large state like Florida.