Club for Growth wields stealthy, well-financed influence in Senate race

SALT LAKE CITY — One campaign reported spending a whopping $120,000 on Utah's U.S. Senate race in just the final three weeks before the March 23 party caucuses. That's more than some Utah congressional campaigns spend in two years.

The deluge of cash included nearly $46,000 for phone banks and other activities to get people to the caucuses, nearly $26,000 for TV ads, another $26,000 for Internet ads and Web site costs and $22,000 for mailings.

That spending didn't come from the campaign of incumbent Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, nor by the campaigns of any of his seven GOP opponents.

It was by The Club for Growth, a national fiscally conservative group that has bedeviled Bennett since last summer. The club and its deep financial pockets may be wielding more influence in the race than most candidates. The Washington-based group is unleashing its fury at Bennett because club members say he has a poor record on lowering taxes and limiting government.

"We spent nearly half of our spending on things we hoped would drive up caucus turnout," said club executive director David Keating. "Our theory was that new caucus-goers would not be friendly to Bennett."

He added, "This spending included a very heavy Fox News cable buy, and heavy Facebook and Internet advertising. As a result of the Internet ads, over 8,000 people signed up on our (StopBobBennett.com) Web site or our Facebook fan page to help us increase turnout at the caucuses."

As reported earlier, Deseret News analysis shows that only about 20 percent of the delegates to the 2008 state convention were re-elected this year at caucuses that reported record crowds, meaning 80 percent of delegates will be "new blood." Normally, about 45 percent to 50 percent of delegates are re-elected.

As BYU political scientist Kelly Patterson said, "Instinct tells you that a big influx into any sort of political process tends to favor insurgents…. Normally that does not bode well for incumbents."

Two-edged sword

Bennett says he sees the club's spending and influence as a two-edged sword, saying many of the club's charges against him stick with some people and help some of his challengers, but cause a backlash among some voters.

"Some of my challengers who would have had difficulty coming after me because of lack of support are more buoyant than they would be otherwise because they can piggyback on the Club for Growth," he said.