Scoop: GOP super PACs join forces on government shutdown
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John Thune and Mike Johnson (R-LA) (L) on the Upper West Terrace of U.S. Capitol Building. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The two main House and Senate GOP super PACs are joining forces on an ad campaign to pin blame for the government shutdown on House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Why it matters: Both parties are girding themselves for a long government shutdown. The longer the shutdown goes, the more ads will be cut.
- Friday's six-figure buy, running on cable and digital in New York and D.C., marks the first coordinated effort by the two groups to influence public opinion.
Driving the news: The hybrid ad from the American Action Network and One Nation accuses Democratic leaders of caving to the "woke mob" and forcing a government shutdown.
- "Call and tell them to vote to help working families, not to shut down the government."
The intrigue: American Action Network is the 501(c)(4) organization associated with the Congressional Leadership Fund, which acts as the main super PAC for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
- One Nation is the 501(c)(4) arm of the Senate Leadership Fund, the super PAC for Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).
- The two groups never coordinated their efforts before Johnson and Thune became their party leaders.
What they're saying: "Conservatives are a united front against the lunatic leftists in Congress holding government funding hostage," said Chris Winkelman, the president of American Action Network.
- "By voting for this shutdown, Democrats proved the only thing they care about more than Big Government is handing taxpayer health care to illegal immigrants," said Alex Latcham, the executive director of One Nation.
- Republicans claim that Democrats want to undo a provision in the One Big Beautiful bill that narrowed the eligibility requirement for Medicaid coverage for illegal immigrants.
- But Democrats insist they only want to allow immigrants who have legal status to access the program. They point to existing prohibitions – and a 1996 statute — that prevent unauthorized immigrants from Medicaid or coverage.
The other side: Progressives groups are also putting pressure on Democratic lawmakers to "hold the line" in the shutdown standoff, Axios reported Thursday.
- Senate Democrats are encouraging each other to stand together to force President Trump to cave on government funding. So far, they have only lost three members on shutdown votes.
- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also has digital ads attacking Republican senators for the shutdown, but they haven't indicated how much money is behind them.
Go deeper: The National Republican Senatorial Committee is running a four-figure ad buy slamming Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) for voting against a short-term spending bill.
- The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee also has a modest ad campaign up.
