THE BUZZ: CARPE AIRWAVES — Candidates and super PACs have spent more than $100 million so far on advertising in California's swing seats, setting the stage for what could be some of the most expensive House races in the country. Cash has poured in from national groups like the GOP-led Congressional Leadership Fund and Democrats’ House Majority PAC, according to tracker AdImpact. Advertising has ramped up since Labor Day, with many candidates’ campaigns dropping their first spots this month. Abortion, crime, affordability and the border are shaping up to be the focal points, with campaigns digging deep into resumes and voting records to slam the opposition on voters’ top concerns. Here are our top takeaways from our analysis of the ad spending bonanza, showing how candidates are aiming to seize on the hottest issues of the year — and trying to flip the script on their opponents’ messaging. Not like other Democrats — Swaying Republicans disillusioned with Donald Trump appears to be a key objective for Democratic candidates like Will Rollins, who is looking for a rematch after narrowly losing to GOP incumbent Ken Calvert in 2022. Rollins' recent advertisement touts his connections to the GOP, noting that his grandparents were Republicans and that he worked for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, even though, as Rollins told us, he is a lifelong Democrat. Democrat Adam Gray in the Central Valley is taking a similar tack in his challenge to Rep. John Duarte, showcasing supportive Republicans in his ads about tackling crime (more on that below). In an interview with Playbook, Rollins said he wants to give traditional GOP voters permission to break ranks. "I think Democrats have to do our part to say that there is a space for you, temporarily, in this party with people who can relate to the loss of your principles,” he said. Calvert, meanwhile, is doing what he can to keep the spotlight on what he argues are California Democrats’ failings. An ad from the Congressional Leadership Fund attempts to tie Rollins to Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying they made California “unsafe and unaffordable” while calling Rollins “just like them.” Calvin Moore, a spokesperson for the Calvert campaign, said in a statement Rollins has wrapped his arms around “every failed California liberal policy that’s making life too expensive and our streets unsafe.” “He’s only now trying to cover it up because he knows his liberal policies are toxic with voters and are why voters rejected him once already,” Moore said. Crime and the border — Up and down the state, we’re seeing Democrats working to fend off accusations from Republicans that they’re soft on crime and border issues, using law enforcement officers as surrogates and vowing to go after fentanyl dealers and sex traffickers. Calvert in one ad, for instance, accuses Rollins of being “bankrolled by the ‘defund police’ extremists” and “pro-criminal.” Gray, who is running against Duarte, features two Republican county sheriffs and a district attorney in a recent spot, talking about his record on crime and how he “gets it.” In an interview, Gray said he’s not trying to distance himself from his statewide party as it faces repeated criticism over public safety concerns, but is instead trying to focus on his record as a moderate in the state Legislature. “What you want to show voters is that you're not going to Sacramento or Washington to vote for your party, you're going to vote for your district and work with everybody in your district, Republicans included, to accomplish those goals,” he said. Battling for women voters — Democrats in some districts have managed to put Republicans on the defensive as they criticize their records on abortion rights and violence against women. The party has relentlessly accused Central Valley Republican Duarte of “breaking his promise” not to back any federal bills restricting abortion, running ads on the issue in both English and Spanish. The messaging has forced Duarte to try to reframe the narrative around his abortion position. This week he told CNN that he is pro-choice — an assertion that was quickly denounced by abortion rights activists who argue his record says otherwise. He expanded on that comment in an interview with the Sacramento Bee, saying that he would oppose a nation-wide abortion ban. And as we’ve reported, Rep. Michelle Steel in CA-45 is trying to combat Democratic messaging by positioning herself as a champion of women, pointing attention to the legal career of her Democratic rival Derek defending not-so-sympathetic clients. For more on the state of California's House races, read POLITICO’s California Playbook PM this afternoon. GOOD MORNING. Happy Thursday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as “CA Playbook” in your contacts. Or drop us a line at lkorte@politico.com and dgardiner@politico.com, or on X — @DustinGardiner and @Lara_Korte. WHERE’S GAVIN? In the Bay Area for a press conference on housing.
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