The conservative outside group Americans for Prosperity has launched a $3 million ad campaign against Democratic Senate candidates in six states, the group's spokesman told The Hill.
The targets: Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Reps. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D).
The group, which is largely bankrolled by the conservative billionaire Koch brothers, is already on the air in Montana and Wisconsin, tying Tester to President Obama and hitting Baldwin on deficit spending.
The rest of their ads will launch by the end of the week, coinciding with events by their local affiliates to try to get earned media.
This is the group's first major ad salvo in the Senate, although they've already been active this year, spending $10 million to help Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) win his recall election.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee attacked AFP's motives in response to the ad buy.
"The Koch brothers and this dirty organization are helping build the worst democracy money can buy," DSCC spokesman Matt Canter said. "Charles and David Koch think that they can spend their filthy billions trying to buy themselves a bunch of corrupt senators that will let their company do whatever, whenever, with whoever they want. Voters know that these Republican candidates that are being propped up by Koch money will support the Koch agenda and vote against the middle class in the US Senate."
