Koch brothers-backed group ties Dem senators to Obama in ‘closing argument’

Freedom Partners Action Fund, a super-PAC aligned with the billionaire conservatives Charles and David Koch, is launching a $6.5 million ad campaign that ties Democratic Senate incumbents to President Obama in six toss-up states.

In a news release, Freedom Partners calls the ad its “closing argument” to help spur support for a slew of competitive Republican candidates: Dan Sullivan in Alaska, Arkansas Rep. Tom Cotton, Cory Gardner in Colorado, North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis, Joni Ernst in Iowa and former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown in New Hampshire.

{mosads}“No amount of political spin from Democrats and their allies can distract voters from these candidates’ failure to do their jobs,” Freedom Partners spokesman James Davis said in a statement. “A vote for these candidates is a vote for the same failed policies of President Obama and the same dysfunctional Washington of the last six years.”

All six ads follow the same style, with Republican voters airing their grievances with each incumbent on issues like voting for ObamaCare and adding to the nation’s debt. But each ad takes a slightly different approach on the issues, tailoring its message to each state. 

Three of the five members of Freedom Partners’ board of directors are either current or former employees of Koch Industries, the multibillion-dollar company controlled by Charles and David Koch. The brothers are heavyweight donors to conservative groups and have drawn the ire of many liberals who criticize them for bankrolling supposedly grass-roots campaigns.

The Kochs gave Freedom Partners Action Fund $4 million in the most recent reporting period and the group raised $15.6 million since June 13.  

These races are critical to Republicans who seek to flip the balance of power in the Senate in November. If Republicans win all six of these seats, they’ll control both chambers of Congress, unless House Republicans suffer an unexpected defeat.

President Obama has had a tenuous relationship with embattled Democratic senators this election cycle. Many have tried to separate themselves from the increasingly unpopular president by not campaigning with him. But Obama called those Senators “strong allies and supporters” on Monday while on Rev. Al Sharpton’s radio show.