The Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), a Super PAC that backs Republicans, released an ad on Wednesday hammering Montana Democratic congressional candidate Rob Quist for failing to pay taxes.
CLF set up a contrast between "responsible," hard-working Montanans and Quist, who allegedly failed to pay taxes, defaulted on a loan, refused to pay a contractor nearly $5,000, and "was sued for breach of contract, deceit, and fraud," according to the ad.
The ad will air on broadcast and cable networks in several Montana media markets as part of CLF's $2 million effort to counter Quist. CLF said it intended to spend $500,000 targeting 75,000 households with mail and door knockers in addition to its ad.
"We work hard, pay our taxes, but not Rob Quist," the ad narrated, before claiming that Quist "stiffed hard-working Montanans." CLF's Executive Director Cory Bliss said in a statement that "Rob Quist's tax record is one mistruth after another."
"Quist's history of dishonesty and turning his back on hard-working Montanans is what's damning and a clear sign he can't be trusted. Montanans will soon reject him and his dishonest ways, and Quist will have no one to blame but himself," Bliss added.
Quist is running against Republican Greg Gianforte in a special election for Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's former House seat. Recent polling showed Quist losing to his Republican challenger by 15 points.