The Republican super PAC is confident House Republicans can expand their majority on Nov. 5 and has bought $16 million in ads aimed at recapturing battleground Democratic seats and holding onto Republican ones.
The Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) announced Tuesday that at least $13 million of its fall ad buys will be dedicated to an “offensive,” with fund president Dan Conston promising a “hard fight” in the final two months before Election Day.
The House Republican super PAC has already A whopping $141 million The first ads began appearing in May of this year.
The second purchase First reported by Punchbowl News.
Rep. Susan Wilde (D-PA) faces the toughest fight, with CLF spending $3.8 million attacking the three-term congresswoman in the Philadelphia market, which covers most of Wilde's 7th District, including parts of the Lehigh Valley, Allentown and Easton.
Republican state Rep. Ryan McKenzie is challenging Wilde for her seat, in a race rated close by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
At least $2.3 million in CLF funds will be directed to the race for Virginia's 7th Congressional District open seat following Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) retiring to run for governor in 2025.
The race pits Republican Army veteran Derrick Anderson against Democratic challenger Eugene Vindman, and is currently rated a “Democrat advantage,” according to Cook.
Eugene Vindman and his twin brother, Alexander, were instrumental in initiating impeachment proceedings in 2019 over former President Donald Trump's call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
At least $2 million in advertising is set to be earmarked in Detroit and Michigan's state capital, Lansing, for the race to fill Michigan's vacant 7th Congressional District seat between two former state lawmakers, Democrat Curtis Hertel and Republican Tom Barrett.
Michigan's 8th Congressional District will also see a $1.8 million ad spend against former Democratic state Sen. Kristen McDonald-Libet, who is taking on former Trump administration official Paul Junge.
Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) has announced his retirement from Congress after more than a decade in Washington, DC.
Both Michigan races are rated as close, according to the Cook Political Report, as are three other major races that are expected to see CLF cash infusions.
These include Ohio's 9th Congressional District (represented by Democrat Marcy Kaptur) buying $1.1 million in ads throughout the Toledo market, Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District (represented by Democrat Matt Cartwright) spending $180,000 on Scranton-based ads and Colorado's 8th Congressional District (represented by Democrat Yadira Carabeo) spending $150,000 on ads in Denver.
CLF is also buying $1.5 million in ads in the Omaha market to attack Republican incumbent Rep. Don Bacon, who has represented Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District since 2017, and Democratic candidate Tony Vargas, who is facing a rematch in 2020.
Another $300,000 will be spent on ads supporting Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) in Des Moines, Iowa, and $275,000 will support Marc Molinaro, a freshman Republican from upstate who is challenging Rep. Josh Riley for control of New York's 19th Congressional District.
In Norfolk, Virginia, more than $680,000 is being split between defending Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans of Virginia's 2nd District and attacking Democrat Rep. Don Davis of North Carolina's 1st District.
Another $2.3 million is being spent on advertising from Washington for various House Republican races.
A CLF spokesman added that more advertising placements will be announced in the coming weeks.
Republicans currently hold 220 House seats, while Democrats hold 211 seats, leaving four to be lost.
