Twice in the past week, House Democrats used closed-door meetings with Speaker Nancy Pelosi to deliver an urgent message: They’re being crushed on the airwaves by outside groups, and they need her to do something about it.

In the meetings, according to people present, Democrats cited the nearly unmatched advantage Republicans are enjoying from conservative, third-party organizations….

[T]here is a canyon-size gap between the two parties right now when it comes to spending by outside groups.

As of Monday, pro-Republican third-party organizations had paid for a total of $23.6 million worth of ads, while Democratic-aligned groups had spent just $4.8 million on TV….

While they are outgunned by outside groups, House Democrats are not being shut out on the airwaves. Many of their candidates in competitive races have more cash than their Republican opponents, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has reserved $49 million in TV ads.

Still, with conservative-leaning outside groups ratcheting up their TV campaigns since Labor Day, Democrats are growing frustrated – and angry….

But House Democratic aides are candid about the disadvantage they’re facing – and fuming about the lack of financial support they’re receiving after their members have cast a series of tough votes.

These officials are particularly angered by the relative absence of support from the environmental and pro-health care groups that were so aggressive in lobbying House Democrats to support energy and health care reform legislation.

“Where are those guys?” a top House Democratic aide demanded. “There is very real and growing resentment over these groups being AWOL.”

And this Democratic aide fired a warning shot at liberal groups, suggesting that their absence from the campaign could have “long-term ramifications.”

“When these interest groups come to Democrats and say, ‘We need you to do this,’ a lot of Democrats who survived 2010 will say, ‘You weren’t there for us then.’”

Liberal-leaning organizations answer that it’s not a matter of desire but something more simple: They don’t have the money.

And that’s partly because, even after the historic accomplishments of the current Congress, some on the left are unhappy that priorities, such as a climate change bill, weren’t passed.

“I do honestly think that environmental donors, like a lot of progressive donors, are a little discouraged,” said Rodger Schlickeisen, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife. “They were hoping for more and are now saying, ‘J****, what do we have to do to make a difference here?’”

Even if none of the liberal groups mentioned have anything to do with abortion, they comprise part of the synergy that gets pro-aborts elected, just as the fiscally focused Tea Party is getting pro-lifers elected.  So if liberal groups in general are demoralized and not helping their candidates, this is good.

That is not to say pro-aborts aren’t in the game. They have more loose change thanks to abortion profits as well as government funding for pet projects that frees money to help elect politicians that give them the abortion funding. For example, from the Associated Press yesterday: