A lot of people repeat the “65-to-1” number, but that seems to be a creative fiction.
THe total spending by ROmney in florida since the start of the campaign was $15.5, vs $3.3 million for GIngrich (a 5:1 ratio). But most of Romney’s early advertisements were not attacks on Gingrich. A lot were positive, and some were attacks on Santorum (after Iowa, when Santorum was a threat).
After the South Carolina primary Romney and his superpac spent $6.6 million, Gingrich/superpac spent $3 million, about a 2:1 ratio. This is the same ratio as Romney outspent Santorum. And the unions in Florida ran another $1 million against Romney in Florida, and none against Gingrich.
And you also have to ask this question. Gingrich and his superpac has had almost twice as much money as Santorum. But in Florida, a must-win state for Gingrich, Gingrich and his superpac spent 3.3 million. In Michigan, a state about half the size, Santorum/Superpac spent $2.1 million, a higher investment per-capita.
And on a per-vote basis, Santorum did much better spending per vote than Gingrich got out of his florida spending. Also, the 2:1 advantage Romney had in Michigan doesn’t count the attack ads run by the Ron Paul campaign.
And I don’t think Reagan would have had much trouble beating Romney in Florida, because his negative attack ads wouldn’t have resonated in any way, shape, or form against Reagan. Negative ads work if you can’t counter them with the truth, either because you have no money, or because the negatives are true; I don’t think Reagan would have had either of those two problems.
That in fact might be the biggest harm conservatives get from having two candidates — the money is split, so if both candidates don’t run ads against Romney in a state, Romney can easily outspend the conservatives. In Florida, Gingrich was the only one running ads. In Michigan, Santorum was on his own against Romney and Paul.
Anyway, hopefully either Santorum will survive this, or Gingrich will manage to get attention again. I think we’d be better off if Gingrich could come back, since he has a bit more of a “wow” factor than Santorum could ever have, but on the other hand I think Gingrich CAN’T come back, which is why I haven’t just jumped on the NewtWagon.