Liberals crushed in SCOTUS spending war

Doug Jones is fresh off winning a high-profile Senate race. But all of a sudden, he’s being besieged by brutal attack ads all over again.

The Alabama Democrat is one of a half-dozen senators on the receiving end of millions of dollars in ad spending over the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh that heavily favors Republicans trying to confirm him to liberals trying to stop him. Conservatives have run more than $7.5 million in television ads thus far compared with approximately $1.3 million from liberals in the fight over Kavanaugh’s confirmation, according to spending analyzed by POLITICO and Advertising Analytics.

“It’s silly. It’s a waste of time,” said Jones, who is deliberating his first Supreme Court nomination. “It’s just a sad state of affairs when a judicial nomination becomes a political campaign. I’m seeing myself more on TV than I did last year when I ran.”

The millions in ad spending focusing on Jones and fellow Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) shows that Republicans continue to have a significant tactical edge in the latest judicial wars.

The financial disadvantage is yet another handicap for Democrats who appear unable to unilaterally stop Kavanaugh’s confirmation and adds increased pressure on the most vulnerable senators to fold on the nominee.