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Clinton Takes Advantage of Hurricane Matthew to Buy Ad on Weather Channel

(Updated)

Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton / AP
October 6, 2016

Hillary Clinton’s campaign is seizing the opportunity to run campaign ads on the weather channel just as Hurricane Matthew is set to hit.

Hurricane Matthew is expected to reach the United States on Thursday night and has caused mass evacuations in the swing state of Florida.

Clinton’s campaign has taken advantage of the potentially devastating storm to run $63,000 worth of ads on the Weather Channel, Politico reports.

The ad buy is set to begin on Thursday and will continue to play the TV spots for the next five days.

Hurricane Matthew has already killed over two dozen people in the Caribbean.

Rep. Greg Walden (R., Ore.), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, called the ad buy "a risky proposition."

Walden claimed that Clinton’s campaign strategy could backfire Thursday morning on Fox & Friends.

"I don’t know what they’re going to say. We don’t know, but clearly if they’re out being too political at a time when the country has its prayers with the people who are being affected, I think it could backfire."

Former Jeb Bush spokeswoman Kirsty Campbell criticized the ad buy as well.

"This is a colossally huge and unforced error by the Clinton camp. Insensitive and will piss off Floridians," she said.

Clinton has a 41-38 lead over Donald Trump in a four-way race, according to the latest University of North Florida poll. Without Libertarian Gary Johnson and the Green Party’s Jill Stein included, Clinton’s lead jumps to a 47-40 margin.

UPDATE 2:30 P.M.: Hillary Clinton’s campaign has requested that the Weather Channel delay airing the campaign ads until Hurricane Matthew passes. This development occurred after this story was originally published.