First in Punchbowl News: The Congressional Leadership Fund, the top House Republican super PAC, is launching a host of new ads in top House races.
CLF is slamming Reps. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) and Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.), along with Arizona candidate Kirsten Engel, on immigration themes. The ads argue the Democrats are “too extreme” to confront the border crisis.
In California’s 22nd District, currently represented by Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), CLF is attacking Democrat Rudy Salas as a “desperate” repeat candidate who wants to raise taxes.
In Oregon’s 5th District, CLF is going after Democrat Janelle Bynum as a “dishonest Portland politician” who was on the wrong side of Oregon’s push to decriminalize drugs.
In New York’s 17th District, a CLF ad hits Democrat Mondaire Jones for his past left-wing issue positions and connects him to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). In two other New York races, CLF is attacking Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) for marching in a Black Lives Matter rally and Josh Riley for close ties to China.
CLF is portraying Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) as a failed career politician who isn’t effective any longer in Ohio’s 9th District.
In another ad going after a Trump-district Democrat, a CLF dog sledding-themed spot says Alaska Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola has made the state “less safe and more expensive.”
Earlier this month, we reported on CLF placing $16 million in ad reservations. That comes on top of their initial $141 million ad reservation.
CA-41 update: Defending Main Street, the super PAC aligned with the pragmatic Republican Main Street Partnership, is launching a $200,000 ad buy boosting Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) in the competitive 41st District.
The GOP PAC is running an ad and sending a corresponding mailer hitting Democrat Will Rollins on public safety and border policy. The Defending Main Street messaging features the Riverside County sheriff bashing Rollins as a candidate who won’t keep residents safe.
Rollins, for what it’s worth, has backed the bipartisan border security bill negotiated by the Senate.
CLF is also including Rollins in their new ad buy with a spot tying the Democrat to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Money game: Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) raised over $260,000 for Frontliners during a Sept. 10 Equality PAC event.
— Max Cohen
