DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Big money groups aligned with President Donald Trump are pouring huge sums of cash into midterm races in the final sprint toward Election Day.
The groups have now reserved more than $130 million in advertising, according to AdImpact, which tracks ad buys and media spending.
The flood shows Trump’s willingness to spend part of his own stockpile on Republican candidates who were desperate for his financial support, but its impact
remains uncertain. Advertising rates are higher now, meaning the money may not go as far even though some voters are just starting to tune in.
The spending includes $27 million from Safety and Affordability PAC, a new group that is affiliated with Trump's main political committee, MAGA Inc., according to a person with direct knowledge of the organization who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private plans. The connection was first reported by The New York Times.
The biggest spending, by far, has come from No Going Back, which has reserved more than $98.5 million in advertising. The organization is also connected to MAGA Inc., which had more than $400 million in the bank at the end of July.
MAGA Inc. has reserved $11 million this cycle under its own name.
According to Federal Election Commission records, the Safety and Affordability PAC was formed Sept. 1, the same date as No Going Back PAC. Both list the same treasurer in their filings as MAGA Inc.
A MAGA Inc. spokesperson declined to comment.
The spending comes after Republicans in vulnerable districts had begged the president and his team to come to their aid as the party fights to hold onto the House and Senate in a challenging political environment. The president's approval ratings remain underwater as voters grapple with higher prices, especially for fuel, during the unpopular war with Iran.
The Safety and Affordability PAC appears focused on House races, while No Going Back has invested most heavily in competitive Senate races.
That includes in Michigan, where No Going Back is now the second-biggest Republican spender in a high-profile Senate race, after the Senate Leadership Fund. Former Rep. Mike Rogers is up against Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed as Republicans try to flip the seat being vacated by Sen. Gary Peters.
Combined, the two groups are now the biggest spenders in New York’s 17th congressional district, where the party is trying to defend U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, who is considered one of the nation's most vulnerable Republicans. He's up against Democratic nominee Cait Conley.
There have been costs to waiting. Super PACs like MAGA Inc. and its spinoffs are charged higher rates for television advertising than a candidate’s campaign pays.
The disparity grows in the final 60 days of the campaign, when the individual candidate campaigns qualify by law for a broadcaster’s lowest rates, while super PACs are charged market rates that increase as air time becomes more scarce. That means the spending buys less time than it would have if they had they made the purchases before Sept. 4.
___ Colvin reported from New York.
