At Punchbowl News, we like to take a look at the lawmakers who use taxpayer dollars to run ads. The practice, referred to as franked communications, allows members to tap into official House of Representatives funds to get in touch with their constituents.
The communication can’t be explicitly political and needs approval from House authorities.
Here are some franked ads so far this year that caught our eye:
Rep. John McGuire (R-Va.), a freshman who won a contentious primary in 2024, has run two separate franked ads.
In one ad, McGuire says he wants his office to be a resource for constituents, including passport services and applications to service academies.
The other ad, which recapped McGuire’s first 100 days in office, is far more political. A picture of McGuire posing with President Donald Trump flashes across the screen as the Virginia Republican touts that he voted for trillions of dollars in spending and tax cuts.
Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), who is eyeing a potential Senate run, also took advantage of franked spending in an ad that started airing in February.
“As your congressman, I will continue to fight for our conservative family and Texas values,” Hunt says in the ad, mentioning he’s passed bills to help police and the oil and gas industry.
The official ads coincide with a separate statewide effort from an outside group that thanks Hunt for being a MAGA leader.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), who’s running for governor, used taxpayer funds to run an ad touting his work creating the Problem Solvers Caucus.
Gottheimer says he did “what people called impossible, like passing the first gun safety bill in 30 years, making the biggest investment in our roads and bridges in a century and increasing the child tax credit.”
In another taxpayer-funded ad, Gottheimer says he’s working to make life more affordable and to restore the SALT deduction.
Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), a longtime incumbent, is running several franked ads that advertise his political career.
“I’ve put people over politics since day one. I’ve passed legislation to lower costs, hold corporations accountable, and create good-paying jobs for thousands of Georgians,” Johnson says in one ad. In another, Johnson says he has always fought for underdogs.
