Key facts
- Republican groups have spent $14 million on advertising in Ohio in the past week.
- The spending aims to bolster Republican Senator Jon Husted against Democrat Sherrod Brown.
- Polls show Husted trailing Brown by 3 to 5 percentage points.
- The Husted-Brown contest has attracted $298 million in advertising spending so far.
- No Going Back PAC, linked to Trump's MAGA Inc., spent $6.7 million on ads.
- Two 'pop-up' PACs, Ohio Flyer PAC and Buckeyes PAC, spent over $3 million combined.
Republican groups have significantly increased advertising spending in Ohio, pouring $14 million into the state over the past week to support Senator Jon Husted in his costly race against Democrat Sherrod Brown. Recent polls indicate Husted is trailing Brown by 3 to 5 percentage points, a gap that has prompted a surge in spending from super PACs aligned with Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Senate Republican leadership.
The Husted-Brown contest has already become the most expensive Senate race this cycle, attracting $298 million in advertising spending, according to political advertising tracker AdImpact. No Going Back PAC, a group closely associated with Trump's MAGA Inc., has been the largest spender, contributing $6.7 million to the recent ad blitz. Other groups, including Musk's America PAC and Americans for Prosperity Action, have also attacked Brown's positions on issues like transgender rights and bank bailouts.
Some of the newest PACs involved, described as 'pop-up' PACs by campaign finance researchers, may not disclose their donors until closer to Election Day due to their recent registration dates. Two such groups, Ohio Flyer PAC and Buckeyes PAC, spent over $3 million combined in the past week and share a treasurer with a pro-Trump super PAC from the 2016 campaign. The race is considered crucial for both parties as Ohio, despite leaning Republican in recent federal elections, remains a key battleground for statewide contests.