Strong Closer

After trying to honor the spirit of the new campaign finance law, Republicans have made up their disadvantage with the Democrats and are pulling away.

During the spring and summer, two Democratic groups, The Media Fund and MoveOn.org, outspent Republicans on advertising by a large margin. But since late August, Republican 527s running television and radio commercials have raised $48.2 million, compared with $7.8 million by Democratic groups, according to reports to the Federal Election Commission.

And, the money that Republican 527's have spent has had more effect because they have had the advantage of truth.

Asked why the pro-GOP ads have had more impact than the pro-Democratic ads, Bill Galston, a Democratic public policy strategist, said he believes the Republicans have developed "messages that inherently have more leverage than others because they go at something that is at the heart of the campaign" -- in this case Kerry's use of his military record.

"They [the Swift Boat Veterans and PFA] weren't going for a capillary, they were going for the jugular of the Kerry campaign," Galston said.