Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS Targets Vulnerable Dems as Fiscal Cliff Standoff Drags On

The Obama campaign and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee have launched twin efforts to pressure Congressional Republicans into caving in to the president’s offer/demand on resolving the fiscal cliff. So far none of the Republican committees or the RNC itself have responded in kind or with any campaign tactics of their own. But Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS is joining the fight.

Last week Crossroads went up in West Virginia with this ad, targeting Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin. West Virginia has gone increasingly red in the last few years, and Manchin has often been at odds with the Obama administration.

This week, Crossroads has gone up in four additional states, Alaska, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Dakota. Where the Democrats have targeted 35 Republicans in the House, the Crossroads ads target vulnerable Democrats in the Senate.

The list of targeted senators includes:

Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK)

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)

Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC)

and Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD)

One obvious difference between the two strategies is that Crossroads is sticking with broadcasting message ads, while the Democrats are mounting a robocall and telemarketing campaign that utilizes the president’s core supporters directly.