Exclusive: “Dirty tricks operation” spending $500,000 in top races

In cycle after cycle, Democrats prop up groups designed to look conservative, with the goal of either meddling in GOP primaries, or to siphon off votes from nominees in the general elections, in order to allow flawed Democratic candidates to win more easily. The expenditures suggest that some on the left view their beneficiaries, Rep. Colin Allred (D., Texas), Angela Alsobrooks, Curtis Hertel Jr., and Rep. Don Davis (D., N.C.) as being in particular need of help, House and Senate strategists noted to the Reporter. 

Earlier this year, Sen. Chuck Schumer’s (D., N.Y.) orbit stood up the Last Best Place PAC to boost Rep. Matt Rosendale (R., Mont.) in his Senate primary, because Democrats viewed him as more easily beatable than the ultimate GOP nominee, Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy.

“Save Western Culture, registered 2 weeks ago with a protonmail email and a UPS store address, with no donors through October 16th, drops $519,651 on direct mail and digital ads boosting Libertarian candidates and opposing Republicans in #TXSen, #MDSen, #MI07, and #NC01,” elections analyst Rob Pyers wrote. Early indications noted by Pyers connect the group to a Republican political operative who previously worked for Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.).

One of the mailers, first reported by the Washington Reporter, tells Texans that “Ted Cruz never manned up for his family, his fellow Americans, or Texas.”

The mailer, which was sent to a reliable Republican voter, goes on to beg Texans to “vote Libertarian Ted Brown for U.S. Senate.”