From Roll Call via johncombest.com

Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill (D), facing a tough election in November, has placed a $3 million ad buy on statewide broadcast television for the final weeks of her campaign.

Roll Call has learned that McCaskill made the considerable reservation early in the cycle to lock in discounted rates and snag the best placements two months before her Republican opponent is chosen by voters.

At the end of March, McCaskill had more than $6 million in cash on hand, according to Federal Election Commission filings. The Senator’s early buy is a way for her to leverage the campaign’s considerable bankroll into a more potent position on TV than she would be able to get later in the election cycle.

Anti-McCaskill outside groups, such as the juggernaut GOP-affiliated Crossroads GPS, have spent heavily attacking the Senator. While it is not expected she will be able to match their firepower, the early buy gives her some more strategic maneuverability.