Republicans’ Midterm Spending May Be Sign Of Troubles Ahead

Republicans boosted spending in red states ahead of the November midterms, which is a sign the GOP is worried about their chances of retaining the Senate.

The Nation, a conservative nonprofit aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, is reserving $28 million in television advertising in Ohio and $11 million in Iowa, Axios first reported. The ads will begin airing Wednesday and continue throughout the summer.

Not long ago, Ohio and Iowa did not appear to need outside help particularly since President Donald Trump won both states by double digits. One Nation executive director Alex Latcham told Thune and top GOP donors during a June 1 meeting that the party needed to prioritize investments in Ohio, Iowa, Maine and North Carolina.

Republicans are particularly concerned about Republican Ohio Sen. John Husted’s competitive race against former Democratic Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, who has significantly out-raised Husted in fundraising. Brown raised $10.1 million in the first quarter, while Husted raised $2.9 million.

Republican Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson fell behind her Democratic challenger, Josh Turek, in a Fox News poll from July 1. Turek’s campaign accused Trump’s economic policies of negatively impacting Iowa’s agricultural economy, according to Axios.

One Nation reserved $6 million for New Hampshire’s Senate race, where former Republican Sen. John Sununu will challenge Democratic New Hampshire Rep. Chris Pappas. A Saint Anselm College Survey Center poll from June found that Pappas led Sununu 47% to 41% in a potential matchup.

“One Nation is proud to highlight the many conservative policies that have provided meaningful results for working families,” Latcham said, according to Axios.

One Nation did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

Democrats need to win four seats to regain a majority in the Senate. The party’s chances of winning Maine dropped following the sexual assault allegations against their nominee, Graham Platner. Democrats including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders rescinded their endorsements and called on him to drop out, though Platner has yet to exit the race as of Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) said Republicans are pouring more funding into red states because they know their majority is “fragile.”

“This five-alarm fire by Republicans shows they know just how fragile their Senate majority is. Democrats have expanded the map with strong candidates and formidable campaigns,” Tommy Garcia, a spokesperson for the DSCC, told Axios.

Republicans also face competition in Alaska, Texas, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina and Georgia.

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