A super PAC linked to veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove has launched a seven-figure ad campaign against Democratic New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan, claiming she has prioritized politics over the state’s opioid crisis.
Developed by the conservative group One Nation, the 30-second ad urges Hassan to invest in prevention programs and push for the expansion of a grant program known as “Operation Granite Hammer,” which provides law enforcement agencies with additional resources to target heroin and opioid drug dealers across the state.
The ad comes as Hassan faces mounting criticism for spending significant time away from New Hampshire as she campaigns and fundraises in a bid to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte.
“Sadly, Maggie Hassan has focused more on politics than results while the opioid crisis has raged in New Hampshire,” One Nation President Steven Law said in a statement accompanying the ad. “It’s time for the Governor to get serious and work cooperatively with the legislature to tackle this devastating crisis.”
The ad will begin running Tuesday on cable and local broadcasts in New Hampshire for the next ten days and is part of One Nation’s massive $4.6 million ad buy for June and July.
Last fall, the group spent nearly $1.5 million on ads defending Ayotte’s record on women’s issues and her work to address the state’s opioid crises. Ayotte is currently polling three percentage points ahead of Hassan in the RealClearPolitics average of New Hampshire voters.
