Otherwise, “she won’t win,” he told the Philadelphia Inquirer.
But today, it’s being reported by Politico’s morning score that the McGinty campaign might have taken it a step further by coordinating with outside groups:
“Former Gov. Ed Rendell, McGinty’s campaign chairman, told Campaign Pro that EMILY’s List will spend far more than $1 million on the race. Rendell, who has said McGinty and outside groups need to spend at least $3.5 million combined in the primary, said he believed EMILY’s List would spend at least $2 million on television, with the some of the cash coming from the League of Conservation Voters. Both groups have endorsed McGinty, and Rendell said EMILY’s List would be placed in charge of the pro-McGinty independent expenditure operation.”
Rendell’s statement implies blatant coordination. Here’s why:
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Yesterday, EMILY’s List reported that they would spend $1 million in one market between now and the April primary to help McGinty. Nowhere has it been publicly reported that EMILY’s List plans to spend more than $1 million.
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Rendell goes on to state that the League of Conservation Voters would also be spending on TV for McGinty. Nowhere has it been publicly reported that LCV intends to put financial resources behind Katie McGinty.
- Rendell notes that EMILY’s List is in charge of pro-McGinty independent expenditures. Nowhere has it been publicly reported that EMILY’s List is leading any such effort beyond the $1 million committed yesterday.
Senate campaigns are prohibited from coordinating spending with outside groups. Based on reported and public knowledge, there is no reasonable explanation for how the McGinty campaign would know about the efforts Rendell outlined to Politico.
The McGinty campaign has some explaining to do…