More on the first Ads

PennLive/AP

Santorum has budgeted only about $1,000 for a commercial running in the Harrisburg market and $660 for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, according to TV stations and campaign insiders. [is that per commercial, or total? -ed]

WGAL-TV, the largest station in the Harrisburg market, has had inquiries, but no air time has been purchased, a spokesman said.

Campaign media experts say that a solid statewide television campaign costs at least $600,000 per week.

Casey, the state treasurer, followed Santorum's lead yesterday, launching his first commercial, which will air on broadcast stations in Pittsburgh, the only market where Santorum's ad is running on more expensive broadcast stations.

I'd be interested to see how they spend their money in the Southeast. Between the House races, the Governor's race, stuff happening in New Jersey AND Pennsylvania, we'll be inundated with ads.

Instead of taking shots at each other, as they've done in other formats, the candidates' first television commercials are mostly positive and discuss their proposals.

"They're soft and not hard-edged," said Franklin & Marshall College political analyst G. Terry Madonna, who called them the "perfect first commercials" to run in the summer, when few voters are paying attention.

The headline is actually Santorum, Casey launch mellow ads.

Ahhhhhh....