Many state candidates are turning to old-fashioned direct mail to reach voters.
And they're spending a lot more to do it.
Some state house campaigns are spending as much as a quarter of a million dollars, with much of it hitting mailboxes in the form of attack ads.
WFFT spoke with several candidates today who say this year, they're spending more money than they ever have before to win.
Dave Ober is running for the state house in the eighty-second district.
As a first-time candidate, he says he's had to learn how hard to campaign and how much money to spend.
"You got to spend as much money and raise as much money as you can to get your message out to the voters. And when you're trying to persuade someone, you got to get the right message at the right time to folks, and that costs money," Ober says.
As candidates in state and local races send more direct mailers and advertise more on TV, even the down-ballot races are becoming more expensive.
Win Moses has represented the eighty-first state house district for twenty years.
He says this is his most expensive campaign ever.
"I will spend probably about $150,000. That's an immense amount. The job pays only twenty two thousand dollars a year. But it's all about their control and power," Moses says.
Moses says it's all changed since a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that allowed unlimited campaign donations from individuals and corporations.
"My opponent has spent probably $250,000 worth of activity. That's much higher than we ever used to do, and that's entirely because of the Supreme Court ruling," Moses says.
He says the Republican challenger Martin Carbaugh and supporting groups have sent eighteen cards in the mail attacking him.
We tried to contact Carbaugh today- he did not return our calls.
Ober says Carbaugh is doing what he can to unseat Moses.
"The money is being spent so that they can introduce themselves to voters and so that we can hopefully pick up this seat for the republican party," Ober says.
The district was re-drawn in 2010, and includes thousands of new voters to the 81st.
Party spokespeople say the increase in spending could be the new normal for state politics.
"For those down-ballot races, like the state house and the state senate, those are the techniques we have to use to reach voters because it's just so hard to break through all of that other noise," says Jennifer Wager, Indiana Democratic Party Spokesperson.
WFFTcalled Carbaugh to also find out how much his campaign has spent in the state house race.
And as we're down to the final minute, both candidates are likely making their last few calls and knocking on a few more doors for tomorrow's election.
And they're spending a lot more to do it.
Some state house campaigns are spending as much as a quarter of a million dollars, with much of it hitting mailboxes in the form of attack ads.
WFFT spoke with several candidates today who say this year, they're spending more money than they ever have before to win.
Dave Ober is running for the state house in the eighty-second district.
As a first-time candidate, he says he's had to learn how hard to campaign and how much money to spend.
"You got to spend as much money and raise as much money as you can to get your message out to the voters. And when you're trying to persuade someone, you got to get the right message at the right time to folks, and that costs money," Ober says.
As candidates in state and local races send more direct mailers and advertise more on TV, even the down-ballot races are becoming more expensive.
Win Moses has represented the eighty-first state house district for twenty years.
He says this is his most expensive campaign ever.
"I will spend probably about $150,000. That's an immense amount. The job pays only twenty two thousand dollars a year. But it's all about their control and power," Moses says.
Moses says it's all changed since a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that allowed unlimited campaign donations from individuals and corporations.
"My opponent has spent probably $250,000 worth of activity. That's much higher than we ever used to do, and that's entirely because of the Supreme Court ruling," Moses says.
He says the Republican challenger Martin Carbaugh and supporting groups have sent eighteen cards in the mail attacking him.
We tried to contact Carbaugh today- he did not return our calls.
Ober says Carbaugh is doing what he can to unseat Moses.
"The money is being spent so that they can introduce themselves to voters and so that we can hopefully pick up this seat for the republican party," Ober says.
The district was re-drawn in 2010, and includes thousands of new voters to the 81st.
Party spokespeople say the increase in spending could be the new normal for state politics.
"For those down-ballot races, like the state house and the state senate, those are the techniques we have to use to reach voters because it's just so hard to break through all of that other noise," says Jennifer Wager, Indiana Democratic Party Spokesperson.
WFFTcalled Carbaugh to also find out how much his campaign has spent in the state house race.
And as we're down to the final minute, both candidates are likely making their last few calls and knocking on a few more doors for tomorrow's election.
