Record ad buys seen in U.S. Senate races

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Record amounts of campaign money are being spent on televised political ads in 11 states with close U.S. Senate contests, observers say.

The ads for most of the Democrats slam Republicans for being too close to U.S. President George Bush and big oil and for pushing tax cuts for the wealthy, while the GOP ads mainly portray Democrats as "tax-and-spend" liberals, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

In North Carolina, where GOP incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Dole is defending her seat against Democrat Kay Hagan, more than $34 million has been spent on TV commercials, while in Oregon the race between Democrat Jeff Merkley and Republican incumbent Sen. Gordon Smith has also cost about $34 million, the newspaper said.

And in Minnesota, where GOP incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman is facing a challenge from Democrat Al Franken, more than $30 million has been spent in television advertising.

Because the races in North Carolina, Oregon and Minnesota all remain close, television viewers are likely to keep seeing the ads right up until the Nov. 4 election, as will residents of such states as New Hampshire, Georgia, Mississippi and New Mexico, where other expensive U.S. Senate races are being contested, the Post reported.