Conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is launching a major advertising campaign in an effort to unseat two vulnerable Democratic senators, Jon Tester of Montana and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, in the upcoming November elections.
The seven-figure ad campaign, which will debut in the next two weeks, will focus on the economic woes of the two states, particularly the issue of inflation, which AFP blames on the policies of President Joe Biden and his allies in Congress. The group’s ads will target voters who say they are struggling to make ends meet due to the rising cost of living.
Tester and Casey are both facing tough reelection battles, with Republican challengers Tim Sheehey and Dave McCormick gaining ground in the polls. According to recent surveys, Sheehey is leading Tester by 5%, while Casey is clinging to a 5-point lead over McCormick.
AFP’s vice president of government affairs, Akash Chougule, said in a statement that while Biden’s name is attached to the economic policies, he is not the only one to blame for their failures. Chougule pointed to congressional Democrats and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is seen as Biden’s heir apparent, as also responsible for the inflation crisis.
Tester has been careful to distance himself from Biden’s economic policies, avoiding public endorsements of the president’s agenda and declining to back Harris. In contrast, Casey has been more supportive of the administration, backing Harris on July 21 and campaigning with Biden before the president dropped his reelection bid.
This is not the first time AFP has targeted Tester and Casey. The group has previously attacked the two senators for their support of Biden’s major legislative initiatives, including the American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. AFP argues that these laws have contributed to the country’s inflation woes.
In May, AFP launched a seven-figure ad buy targeting Tester and Casey, as well as other vulnerable Democrats, over their support for these policies.
