August 22, 2018
Trump-Aligned Groups to Spend $12.5M After Labor Day on a Few House, Senate Races
America First Action and America First Policies, which are both outside groups aligned with President Trump, announced they will spend $12.5 million between Labor Day and Election Day on 10 House races and two Senate races. This was first reported by the Wall Street Journal Wednesday.
The funds will be used on a wide array of tactics, including TV, radio, digital and mail advertisements. The groups are trying to help Republicans retain the majority in the House and build upon their slim majority in the Senate. Democrats need to flip 23 seats in the House to regain the majority, while in the Senate, flipping just two seats in the slim 50-49 GOP majority would change the balance of power. However, Democrats are defending 26 Senate seats, including a handful in states that supported President Trump overwhelmingly in 2016.
America First Action, Mr. Trump's primary super PAC, will spend 10 million dollars on the House races. Of the 10 House races where the funds will be allocated, CBS News ranks seven of the House races as competitive. Some of the districts where the funds will go to are New York's 22nd Congressional District, Minnesota's 8th Congressional District, Michigan's 11th Congressional District and Texas' 32nd Congressional District.
"These are not easy races," said Brian Walsh, the president of both groups, in a statement. "They represent some of the most difficult in the nation, and our support will play a substantial role in helping these candidates win."
Earlier this summer, the president traveled to support Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-News York, who is running for re-election in NY-22, and Pete Stauber, who is running for election in MN-8. America First Action is allocating two million dollars to Minnesota's 8th Congressional District, which is the more than any of the other House races on the list.
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