Romney ramps up advertising push in 2 states

Mitt Romney has stepped up what is already the costliest early advertising push in a presidential campaign, an effort that his advisers and several media experts credit with helping vault him to the lead in the Republican field in some recent polls in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, has spent some $4 million on television advertising since February, focusing mostly on Iowa and New Hampshire, crucial early voting states, according to industry estimates and tracking by an opposing campaign. That heavy spending comes even though the first nominating contests are at least six months away.

He increased his advertising in a huge way last month, spending more than $2 million, much of it on national cable advertisements. This month, he added a run of television commercials in South Carolina, another early primary. His aggressiveness this early over the airwaves stands in stark contrast to his Republican competitors, who have yet to broadcast any television spots.

Romney's campaign advisers say their early airtime is necessary because relatively few people across the country know who he is compared with his chief competitors, the former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, Sen. John McCain and even Fred D. Thompson, the actor and former senator from Tennessee who is considering entering the race.

His advertisements have focused on his conservative credentials. In one, he declares his love for vetoes; in another, he calls for a buildup of the nation's military. His team managed to roll out an advertisement with him talking about border security the day after the controversial new immigration proposal was announced.

"What Romney's doing is extending his conversation with voters, his introduction period, and he's being allowed to do it essentially alone," said Evan Tracey, chief operating officer of Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks political advertising.

Although some of his opponents have challenged his assertions in his advertisements, arguing to reporters that Romney actually increased spending and fees as governor and that his immigration advertisement actually supports the main provisions of the bill, Romney's advisers said advertising now, while other Republican candidates remain on the sidelines, allows them an unfettered opportunity to begin to craft voters' first impressions of Romney.

But John Weaver, chief political adviser for McCain's campaign, said early advertising matters little in the long run because no one is paying any attention at this point.

"We're in the dog days of summer, and it's called that for a reason," Weaver said.

He discounted any jump Romney has gotten in the polls, arguing early advertising only creates an "artificial impression that they're doing well."