ATLANTA — Georgia voters may become the targets of $1 billion worth of political advertising by the time votes are counted in the U.S. Senate runoffs.
The site, Open Secrets, said a U.S. Senate race in South Carolina was this year’s most expensive at $180 million. Georgia's runoffs are on track to blow that away.
The ads run on TV, social media – wherever politicians think they can find the eyeballs of Georgia voters.
A site that tracks some of the spending, an industry magazine called Ad Age, writes that political candidates and their backers have already committed $272 million to advertising in the two U.S. Senate runoffs.
The magazine calls it “insane,” “astonishing” and “let’s just say it – disturbing.”
However, Democratic consultant Tharon Johnson calls it pretty predictable.
"It's highly feasible when it’s all said and done, on January 5 you could see $1 billion spent in Georgia," Johnson said.
Ad Age said Republicans, including political action committees, have spent $168.5 million and Democrats $102.5 million.
Keep up that pace through the 41 days until the January runoff – and Georgia would have the honor and privilege of absorbing some $1.04 billion worth of political advertising for the two senate runoffs combined.
It’s happening – as Republican senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue like to tell supporters – because “all eyes are on Georgia.” If the Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff can beat them, the senate would flip from Republican control. It’s a national contest, with national donors, focused on the ballots and eyeballs of Georgia voters.
"It shows you how much money is in politics," Johnson said. "But it also shows you how important these two US Senate races are."