MESQUITE, Nev. - Candidates and outside interest groups are expected to spend at least $50 million in Nevada’s 2010 federal election campaigns, mostly on advertising, but it’s unclear how much that will influence the state’s voters - if at all.

The targets of this spending spree, like those in other close races around the country, are the people who play golf at the Falcon Ridge Golf Club in this town of 25,000 northeast of Las Vegas. Or the folks who shop at the nearby Wal-Mart or hang out at the Stateline Casino, where many of the regulars are unemployed or retirees living on fixed incomes.

These Nevada voters will have a big say in the outcome of two of the nation’s most closely watched races: The U.S. Senate contest between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican Sharron Angle - polls show a dead heat - and the U.S. House of Representatives race for Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District between Democratic incumbent Dina Titus and Republican Joe Heck.

Campaign ads help candidates influence voters, just as any advertising affects a consumer’s view of a product, whether it’s soap or cereal. Ads can boost a little-known product’s visibility, and cement a product image in the […]