McConnell-aligned PAC makes record early investment to boost raft of misfit candidates
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A super PAC aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has made a record-breaking amount of ad reservations, mostly starting in August, for the midterm election.
The Senate Leadership Fund’s $141 million ad buy outpaces the Democratic Senate Majority PAC’s early investment of $106 million by some $35 million, but it’s not exactly a show of strength despite what the head of the Republican super PAC would have us believe.
“This is such a strong year that we need to invest as broadly and deeply as we can,” Senate Leadership Fund President Steven Law told Politico.
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The truth is, Senate Republicans are tantalizingly close—just one seat away—to retaking the majority, and yet they will be trying to carry a bunch of Trumpian misfits across the finish line.
Take the PAC’s heaviest commitment of $37 million in Georgia, where Republicans have one of their best pickup chances but are saddled with alleged wife abuser Herschel Walker, who has written about his struggles with violent episodes partially fueled by his multiple personalities.
Walker reported strong Q1 fundraising of $5.5 million, but it pales in comparison to the whopping $13.6 million raised by Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia.
So Senate Republicans’ brightest pickup hope maintains a couple-point edge in polling, but he’s carrying a load of personal baggage and is being significantly outraised by his opponent. All that context puts a slightly different spin on the GOP’s heavy investment in Georgia from show of strength to sign of concern.
Law admitted as much, saying Democratic candidates’ advantages in fundraising nearly across the board necessitated the Senate GOP super PAC to “try to level that playing field.”
Even so, Law insists Senate Republicans are still huge favorites this fall.
“The only thing that ever concerns me when you’re in an environment that’s this good, and there’s so much talk about the red wave, is that complacency sets in,” Law said.
But the president of Democrats’ Senate Majority PAC had a different take on the hefty Republican spending in 2022. “The GOP carries the burden of bad candidates and a badly damaged brand,” noted JB Poersch.
And if fundraising is any measure, Senate Democrats have a fighting chance in November, with their four most vulnerable senators—Raphael Warnock in Georgia, Mark Kelly of Arizona, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire—all surpassing the hauls of their leading GOP challengers.
Interestingly, Hassan didn’t make the Leadership Fund’s top target list after the GOP failed to recruit New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu to run for the seat. However, both the McConnell- and Schumer-aligned super PACs will surely pour additional funds into the races depending on how they take shape.
Here’s where the GOP’s Senate Leadership Fund has planned its initial investments:
- Georgia (offense): $37 million
- North Carolina (defense): $27 million
- Pennsylvania (defense): $24 million
- Nevada (offense): $15 million
- Wisconsin (defense): $15 million
- Arizona (offense): $14 million
- Alaska (defense): $7.4 million