A DSCC spokesman says 'Mary Landrieu is a proven run-off winner.' | MADELINE MARSHALL FOR POLITICO Dems bail on Landrieu

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has canceled its advertising reservations for Sen. Mary Landrieu ahead of the December runoff in Louisiana.

The committee canceled all broadcast buys planned from Monday through Dec. 6 in the state’s five major media markets, three sources tracking the air war told POLITICO. That’s about $1.6 million worth of time. The DSCC is in the process of canceling an additional $275,000 in cable placements, according to buyer sources.


The National Republican Senatorial Committee, by contrast, has reserved $2.3 million of broadcast ad time over the next month.

With control of the Senate no longer on the line, the race becomes less important for both party committees — each of which took out loans in the final weeks before Tuesday’s election.

( Also on POLITICO: What did we learn from 2014?)

“Mary Landrieu is a proven runoff winner, and we support her 100 percent,” said DSCC spokesman Justin Barasky. “We are going to make ongoing determinations on how best to invest in the race. We made the initial reservation when there were concerns that the rates would skyrocket, but they have stabilized, giving us more flexibility to make week-to-week decisions.”

Landrieu underperformed public polls on Tuesday and finished with 42 percent, just 16,000 more votes and 1 percentage point more than her Republican opponent Bill Cassidy. Her showing came even with tea party candidate Rob Maness receiving 14 percent.

Republicans still have $7.2 million in broadcast reservations for the next four weeks in the Bayou State. Cassidy has reserved $1.3 million; Ending Spending and its Super PAC, $1.6 million; the National Rifle Association, $1.1 million; and Freedom Partners, $822,000.

The only Democratic outside group with broadcast reservations for the runoff right now is the Humane Society Legislative Fund, which reserved just $101,000 for the final two weeks of the runoff.

( POLITICO's 2014 race ratings)

Cassidy is behaving like a front-runner. On Tuesday night, Landrieu challenged him to six debates. He countered Thursday by saying he would agree to only one — on the Monday before the Saturday runoff.

As a publicity stunt — and to get the name of the unpopular president in stories about his refusal to debate more — Cassidy added his own challenge.

“For every time Senator Landrieu barnstorms the state with Barack Obama, I will participate in another debate,” he said in a press release.

In a two-way race, with lower turnout and the GOP base consolidating behind Cassidy, Landrieu starts as the decided underdog. Landrieu lost what has been a centerpiece of her reelection bid: Even if she wins the runoff, when the GOP takes control of the Senate in January she’ll no longer be chairwoman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

( Polling Center: Current polls)

On the other hand, it becomes harder for the GOP to nationalize the race when the outcome won’t affect whether Harry Reid or Mitch McConnell is majority leader.

Landrieu needs to disqualify Cassidy in the eyes of voters who don’t want to vote for her. On Wednesday, she accused him of opposing veterans and storm relief after Hurricane Isaac. She is also attacking him for opposing equal pay legislation and voting to cut Pell Grants.

“While the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recalibrates, our campaign for Louisiana’s future still has a lot of juice, a lot of heart, and, most importantly, a strong and positive record to run on,” emailed Landrieu spokesman Fabien Levy. “Our campaign has never been about money or the party, but fighting for the people of Louisiana and delivering for them time and time again, despite the gridlock in Washington. We have the passion and energy necessary for victory on December 6, and are confident we will have the necessary resources from Louisiana voters to win.”

Burgess Everett contributed to this report.