Democrats are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to paint GOP candidates as traitors to Donald Trump and boost spoiler Libertarian candidates.
The Voter Participation Project, a Democratic PAC, has spent close to $700,000 in attack ads and mailers in three races. In California, the group is seeking to steer Trump-friendly voters from supporting incumbent David Valadao (R., Calif.), one of 10 GOP House members to vote for the former president’s impeachment.
"David Valadao Is A Traitor Who Turned His Back On President Trump To Serve His Own Interests," a website created by the PAC says. "HE EVEN VOTED AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP'S BORDER WALL."
The group is also running ads in Michigan and Kansas, urging right-leaning voters to support the Libertarian candidate instead, Axios reports:
In two other districts, both represented by vulnerable Democratic incumbents, VPP is working to boost spoiler Libertarian candidates.
-
-
Recent VPP mail pieces in Michigan attacked Republican Paul Junge as a "former California banker who went to UC Berkeley" and say he "supports raising taxes."
-
Junge is taking on Democratic incumbent Dan Kildee in a race that the Cook Political Report recently moved from "toss-up" to "lean Democrat."
-
VPP's mailers urge voters to support Libertarian candidate David Canny, who will "stop wasteful spending" and "pass a balanced budget amendment."
-
A VPP website devoted to attacking Kansas Republican candidate Amanda Adkins, who's challenging Democrat Sharice Davids, describes her as a "typical DC swamp creature" who "serves the interests of the DC elites."
-
-
It urges votes for Libertarian candidate Steve Hohe, who will "crack down on illegal immigration" and "eliminate the federal income tax."
-
The group's largest donor is the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which recently denied Mexican-born congresswoman Marya Flores (R., Texas) from joining its group over her party affiliation.