The Kochs’ political network is responding to reports that the billionaire brothers are cutting back campaign spending in 2016 by … spending a ton of money on Senate races.
In all, the network has spent $12.4 million on issue ads and political spots promoting GOP Senate candidates this cycle, the most of any independent group so far. Its affiliated organizations, which includes the conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, are now reserving another $30 million in television and digital buys for August and September, according to a network official. The new campaigns will air in Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, with additional investment eventually planned for Florida.
Notice served—Though the Kochs aren’t jumping in to support Donald Trump and have cut back on some aspects of their political spending, they are still a force to be reckoned with, on TV and on the ground:
In all, the network has more than 1,200 permanent employees in 38 states, and the grassroots staffs of Americans for Prosperity, Concerned Veterans for America, the LIBRE Initiative and Generation Opportunity grew by 50 percent in 2015, according to a network official. Those ground forces have already contacted tens of millions of voters through phone calls and door-knocking, twice as many people than the network reached during the entire 2014 cycle.
Be afraid. But show your fear by contributing to candidates and knocking on doors, not by giving up.
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