A conservative group is entering North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race with a $1.5 million TV advertising campaign promoting incumbent Republican Sen. Richard Burr.
One Nation is running the ad for 10 days on TV stations in the Raleigh and Charlotte markets. It warns that cancer patients are “at grave risk” because of the Obama administration’s proposed changes to Medicare.
“Sen. Richard Burr has been a fighter to protect Medicare,” the announcer says. “Now Burr is fighting hard to stop Obama’s Medicare changes and to make sure seniors get the care they deserve. Tell Richard Burr: Keep fighting for North Carolina seniors.”
One Nation is a Washington-based 501(c)4 nonprofit advocacy group run by Steven Law, a former chief of staff for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Since it’s not a political action committee, it must advocate only on policy issues and isn’t required to disclose its donors. That’s why the announcer urges viewers to call Burr and doesn’t directly suggest voting for him.
$20 for 365 Days of Unlimited Digital Access
Last chance to take advantage of our best offer of the year! Act now!
#ReadLocal
One Nation is linked to Karl Rove’s American Crossroads Super PAC, and it ran similar ads praising Burr last year.
Burr’s opponent, former Democratic state Rep. Deborah Ross, isn’t mentioned in the ad, but her campaign criticized One Nation’s involvement. Her campaign pointed out that a doctor who appears in the commercial is from Ohio and was used in a different ad produced by One Nation.
“This ad is nothing more than special interests trying to protect a candidate who has cashed their checks and done their bidding for nearly 25 years in Washington,” Ross spokesman Cole Leiter said. “North Carolina voters know better than to trust the insurance industry’s hand-picked candidate to look after their Medicare.”
Comments