Approximately three months before the midterm elections, a Republican super PAC affiliated with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is ceasing its advertising in Arizona. This might be a harbinger of difficulties for the Trump-backed GOP challenger to Sen. Mark Kelly.
According to Ad Impact, the Senate Leadership Fund canceled its reservation for advertisements to run in Arizona between September 6 and October 3.
Politico estimates that the $8 million in cancellation costs—roughly half of the PAC’s initial budget for the Grand Canyon State—to be the cost of the campaign. Instead of starting in the early fall, the group’s advertisements will now start at the beginning of October.
With Kelly still leading in the average of the polls from FiveThirtyEight, 50.3 percent to 42 percent, the cut in advertising funding comes as Republican Senate contender Blake Masters struggles to defeat Kelly.
Although Peter Thiel, a major GOP fundraiser, and former president Trump both back Masters’ campaign, some Republicans worry that he won’t be a strong Kelly rival.
Republican contender J.D. Vance, who is challenging Rep. Tim Ryan for the open Senate seat left by retiring Sen. Rob Portman, received $28 million in support from the Senate Leadership Fund’s political action committee (PAC) in Ohio last week.
Ohio, a state the GOP had planned to hold more securely, appears to be a close battle between Ryan and Vance.
According to Politico, the super PAC is also reducing its spending on ads in Alaska, where Sen. Lisa Murkowski is seeking reelection. Along with Trump-backed contender Kelly Tshibaka, the incumbent made it to the general election.
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