Romney campaign, RNC spending $12M this week on ads

Mitt Romney's campaign and the Republican National Committee are together spending over $12 million for television ads in nine battleground states this week, according to a Democratic ad-buying source.

The Romney campaign itself bought $7.7 million worth of ad time in those states running from Wednesday until next Tuesday while the RNC is spending $5.05 million for commercials to support the Republican nominee on the airwaves.

Romney's campaign appeared to pick up the pace of its ad production this week releasing four new spots, including one touting a pledge to create 12 million new jobs and another one hitting the Obama administration for raising the nation's debt. It also put on the air ads specifically targeted to Nevada and Ohio.

Part of the RNC money paid to broadcast two new ads that were produced in collaboration with the Romney campaign contending the middle class will pay higher taxes if the president is re-elected.

"Barack Obama and the liberals will raise taxes on the middle class by $4,000," one of the commercials says.

The Obama campaign dismissed the ad, saying the president has cut taxes by $3,600 for the typical family and that Romney's tax-cut proposal will mean higher taxes for the middle class.

Obama's campaign has far out-spent its competitor in the battleground states on ad-buying although several Republican super PACs have helped to make up the difference.

Here is an outline of this week's Republican buy (the Romney and RNC combined amounts where they both spent):

Colorado: $650,000 (RNC only)

Florida: $1.6 million (Romney only)

Iowa: $1.33 million (Romney: $670,000; RNC: $660,000)

Nevada: $660,000 (Romney only)

New Hampshire: $240,000 (Romney only)

North Carolina: $1.46 million (Romney: $900,000; RNC: $560,000)

Ohio: $3.15 million (Romney: $1.78 million; RNC: $1.37 million)

Virginia: $2.63 million (Romney: $1.43 million; RNC: $1.2 million)

Wisconsin: $1.05 million (Romney: $440,000; RNC: $610,000)