Fiorina getting some GOP help

California Dreaming: Republicans and Democrats are gearing up for a knock down, drag out fight for Sen. Barbara Boxer's (D) Senate seat this week -- despite new public polling that shows Boxer holding a lead. National Journal.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is dropping a massive $3 million TV ad buy in California this week, committee sources tell Hotline On Call.

With this ad buy, the NRSC's will have spent nearly $8 million in support of former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina's (R) campaign. The spending is also a sure sign that the NRSC believes it has a good shot of knocking off Boxer.

The ad buy comes one day after a Los Angeles Times/USC poll showed Boxer opening up an eight point lead -- 50 percent to 42 percent -- a major boon to Boxer's campaign.

Republicans are pushing back on that poll, however, saying their internal numbers show the race much tighter. The NRSC is conducting two tracking polls in California, and committee sources say both showed Fiorina only one point down at the end of last week.

Not to be outdone, the Boxer campaign is launching an even larger $4 million dollar ad buy this week, according to campaign sources. The buy should virtually blanket the state's airwaves.

"We are on the air in ten media markets including Spanish language stations," said Rose Kapolczynski, Boxer's campaign manager.