While the midterm elections were barely more than a week ago, the conservative Club for Growth already has its eyes set on the 2016 elections, announcing on Wednesday its endorsement of six Senate candidates.
The political action committee of the influential group is backing the following Republicans for re-election: Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Marco Rubio of Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
Club for Growth President Chris Chocola said the group’s PAC immediately will begin bundling contributions from its members directly to the senators’ campaign accounts, a process that has raised millions of dollars for GOP Senate candidates across the country the past several election cycles.
“The pro-growth class of 2010 has done excellent work in the United States Senate. Our members want to make sure they stay there for another six years,” he said. “The Club for Growth PAC is ready to stand by these members of Congress — all of whom have a consistent record of voting for pro-growth policies.”
The list includes no surprises, as the group endorsed all six senators during their maiden Senate campaigns in 2010.
The group called the e-election of the six senators its “top electoral priority for 2016.”
Club for Growth said its PAC intends to raise “millions of hard dollars” directly for the senators’ campaigns, and its super PAC plans to devote “millions more” toward independent expenditures on their behalf if necessary, depending on the competitiveness of each race.
The club’s PAC also noted that its endorsements won’t automatically be extended if any of the senators run for president. Instead, the group will conduct a separate presidential endorsement process once that field of candidates becomes clear next year.
