The Republican nomination fight has landed in South Carolina, and brought with it a flurry of activity from a collection of flush super PACs backing the top presidential candidates.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is backed by Right to Rise USA, a super PAC he raised money for prior to becoming a presidential candidate. Right to Rise USA, run independently by long time Bush confidant Mike Murphy, began the 2016 race with more than $100 million in the bank, and has spent tens of millions on Bush — and against his opponents.
In South Carolina, the group is spending $1.7 million during the period between Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary and next Saturday’s Palmetto State contest. The two television ads the group is primarily airing there include one attacking Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as too inexperienced for the presidency and another that features former President George W. Bush vouching for his brother as the best choice to be commander in chief.
On Friday, Bush’s super PAC began airing two additional television ads; both are critical of New York celebrity businessman Donald Trump, the GOP front-runner in South Carolina and elsewhere. One spot singles out Bush over Rubio and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz as having the fortitude to take on Trump. The other charges that Trump is not conservative and would lose to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in the general election.
Cruz enjoys the backing of multiple super PACs.
But Keep the Promise I is the lead organization backing his White House bid, and the group is investing around $2 million over the 11 days that covers the day after New Hampshire through South Carolina’s Feb. 20 primary. As of Friday, the group was running two separate attacks ads — one targeting Rubio as weak on natoinal security and another hitting Trump for supporting government-run, socialized medicine — in addition to one positive ad touting Cruz.
Keep the Promise I told the Washington Examiner that it could alter its ad rotation soon.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich finished a surprising second in New Hampshire.
His prospects in South Carolina are questionable given several factors — his late start in organizing there, a lack of resources compared to the other leading candidates and the moderate image he cultivated during several months of campaigning almost exclusively in the Granite State. Kasich’s super PAC, New Day for America, as of Friday was investing a paltry $500,000 on television ads in South Carolina and Nevada combined, according to a spokeswoman for the organization.
The spot running is a well-crafted positive ad similar to what was aired last year in New Hampshire, with Kasich speaking straight to camera about his record in the Buckeye State and congressional resume that includes service on the House Armed Services Committee and role in crafting a balanced budget back in the 1990s. Unknown is whether New Day for America’s modest buy offers the Ohio governor enough air cover in the midst of attacks that have started coming his way from rivals.
Supporting Rubio is Conservative Solutions PAC. This super PAC is well resourced and run by South Carolina Republican operatives. This group has its sights set on two Rubio rivals: Bush and Cruz, and per media buying sources, is laying out $1.9 million in the Palmetto State from Feb. 10 to Feb. 20.
On Friday Conservative Solutions PAC announced one new television ad targeting Cruz. The critical spot focuses on national security, and contrasts the Texan’s Senate votes on defense spending with that of Rubio. The super PAC has yet to go on television with an ad hitting Bush. But when one does drop, it could revolve around Obamacare and the federal bailout of U.S. financial institutions that occurred at the depth of the Great Recession.
That speculation draws from a press release that Conservative Solutions issued Friday that criticized Bush for his ties to health care and investment firms, and, in contrast to Rubio, accused him of being AWOL when conservatives were fighting back against Obamacare and Wall Street bailouts.
“It’s obvious Jeb had millions of reasons to support the bank bailout and condemn efforts to defund Obamacare. But that’s far from the experience we need in the White House,” Conservative Solutions PAC spokesman Jeff Sadosky said in a statement.
In addition to television time, many of the super PACs are spending additional resources on direct-mail, digital and radio advertising. Trump, who is self-funding much of his campaign, though not all of it, does not have a super PAC. The billionaire real estate mogul and reality television star has taken the Democratic Party’s position that super PAC money is corrupting to the electoral process.
All ads being aired and dollar amounts being spent by the groups were as of Friday afternoon and subject to change.
