4th Circuit narrows party access to cheap TV ads ahead of midterms

A 4th Circuit panel ruled that political parties and joint fundraising committees aren’t entitled to the lowest “lowest unit charge” TV ad rate when coordinating with campaigns, potentially eroding the GOP’s edge after the Supreme Court allowed unlimited coordinated spending. The 2-1 decision against the FCC and Republican committees could be appealed, and the ruling would affect tens of millions in midterm ad spending as the election nears, since parties would no longer receive the discounted rate that campaigns can access.