Democrat Russ Feingold got a boost Monday in his bid to oust U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee announced they would cancel more than $800,000 in ads. The group, which supports GOP senate candidates nationwide, said they would follow through on a six-figure ad-buy this week, but cancel most future ads until election day to free up money for more competitive races.
"Given this difficult political climate, we have to adjust reservations and strategy to ensure we are in the best position to protect the majority,"
But Johnson’s campaign expressed confidence in the Republican incumbent’s standing in the race, saying they were satisfied with the amount of support from the NRSC.
"This race remains as tight as ever, and Senator Feingold has wasted millions of dollars on misleading ads with nothing to show for it," Johnson spokesman Brian Reisinger told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The move comes after the group supporting Democratic senate candidates delayed a series of ads supporting Feingold last week. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said Thursday it is confident in Feingold’s standing in the race.
“Feingold is running an incredibly strong campaign focused on the best interests of Wisconsin families," committee spokeswoman Lauren Passalacqua told the Wisconsin State Journal. "We feel confident about our chances here."
The Middleton resident is seeking to become the first candidate in a half century to retake his seat in the election cycle after losing it. Feingold served three terms in the Senate before Johnson beat him in 2010.
The most recent Marquette University Law School poll shows Feingold leading Johnson by six points.
