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Chamber launches voter mobilization effort

[October 01, 2012] WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has spent tens of millions of dollars on television ads to help boost Republican congressional candidates, launched an extensive effort on Monday to mobilize voters.

The pro-business lobbying group unveiled VoteForJobs2012.com, a website designed to educate voters and get them to the polls. The site will include voter registration forms, absentee ballots and polling place locators. It also will include information on House and Senate races and a comparison of the candidates on the issues.

"We are working harder than ever to make sure voters in every state, district and precinct know which candidates have a record of fighting for pro-growth policies that will revitalize our economy and put Americans back to work," said Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the Chamber, in a statement.

The website is part of the Chamber's effort to get out the vote and comes in addition to its wave of television advertising.

The Chamber has spent more than $19 million on ads this election cycle, much of it targeting Democratic candidates. It is expected to spend millions more in the next five weeks before Election Day. It recently bought $2 million in ads in Florida to challenge Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson and $390,000 in North Dakota to air spots against Heidi Heitkamp. The Chamber also invested about $3 million in California for commercials going after eight Democrats in House races.

Among the Chamber's top Democratic targets are Nelson, Virginia's Tim Kaine, Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and Montana Sen. Jon Tester. The Chamber also spent more than $800,000 in Maine on ads criticizing independent candidate Angus King, who is locked in a three-way race to replace Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe. If elected, King is likely to caucus with the Democrats.

[Associated Press; By DONNA CASSATA]

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