Conservative super PAC launches ad buy in North Carolina against Trump
A conservative super PAC is encouraging Republican voters in North Carolina to cast ballots against former President Donald Trump in the 2024 primary.
Americans for Prosperity Action, a political advocacy group founded by Charles and David Koch, launched a $1.68 million ad buy Wednesday in North Carolina, and in two other Super Tuesday states, to explain to voters why the political action committee feels it’s important to vote against the former president.
“To beat Joe Biden, we have to move on from Donald Trump,” a woman says into the camera during the commercial.
Currently, 12 other Republicans have declared their candidacy for president, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence.
AFP says it has significant concerns regarding Trump’s electability and it believes this message resonates with his supporters who are open to alternative candidates.
The commercial highlights the “drama and chaos” that surrounds Trump, his focus on the 2020 election and his current indictments.
“I’m so tired of it all,” the woman says. “It’s exhausting and none of it helps us beat Joe Biden.”
Republicans’ chances in NC
Trump won North Carolina over Biden in 2020 with 1.34% of votes. A Democrat hasn’t won the state since 2008 when former President Barack Obama took the lead from Sen. John McCain.
But AFP is worried that the controversies surrounding Trump could push Biden into a second term in office.
The super PAC said it is investing $830,000 directly into North Carolina for this ad buy because it sees an opportunity to get ahead of campaigns and lay the groundwork for its message and grassroots engagement.
A memo the organization sent out in February noted that AFP and AFP Action participated in 22 primaries on the federal level and close to 200 on the state level in 2022 and won more than 80% of those races. The group found that engaging in the primary helped its candidates win the general.
Wednesday’s ad is the first digital and connected TV buy in Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina and is on top of a $4 million initial buy the night of the Republican debate. AFP plans to push additional announcements and add more states throughout the fall months.
North Carolina’s primary, part of Super Tuesday, falls on March 5.
This story was originally published August 31, 2023 at 11:50 AM.