House GOP leadership-aligned group launches $12M ad buy on cost of living

A group aligned with House Republican leadership is launching an ad buy of close to $12 million highlighting the cost of living in more than a dozen Republican districts. 

American Action Network, the sister organization of the House GOP leadership-aligned super PAC Congressional Leadership Fund, is launching an ad buy advocating for legislative reform aimed at reducing everyday living expenses in 19 GOP-held districts, according to plans first shared with The Hill. 

Most of those members are running in swing House districts that will determine which party holds the House majority in November. The ads are expected to run on digital platforms and television during the summer.
 
The ads will air in the districts of GOP Reps. David Schweikert (Ariz.), Juan Ciscomani (Ariz.), John Duarte (Calif.), David Valadao (Calif.), Mike Garcia (Calif.), Ken Calvert (Calif.), Zach Nunn (Iowa), John James (Mich.), Don Bacon (Neb.), Tom Kean Jr. (N.J.), Nick LaLota (N.Y.), Anthony D’Esposito (N.Y.), Mike Lawler (N.Y.), Marc Molinaro (N.Y.), Brandon Williams (N.Y.), Lori Chavez DeRemer (Ore.), Jen Kiggans (Va.), Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) and Derrick Van Orden (Wis.).  

“The liberal experiment of more regulations and more government spending has failed working Americans across the country. It’s obvious to anyone that has bills to pay that something must change,” AAN President Dan Conston said in a statement. 

“Congress is already taking strides to reduce costs from the left’s endless inflation, but we must further reduce the impact of the regulatory assault from the administrative state and provide some much-needed relief to American families.” 

House Republicans are defending their narrow majority this fall, and the road to the House majority will largely run through New York and California, like it did last cycle. Republicans are leaning heavily into issues like inflation and the economy, immigration and crime. 

Though the issue of targeting Democrats over inflation and the economy is not particularly a new one, Republicans have used President Biden’s self-branded “Bidenflation” against him and Democrats largely, arguing that cost of living expenses are a result of Democratic policy. 

Republicans have argued that Americans were better off under former President Trump than Biden, and criticized legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act — a major health care and climate bill signed into law in 2022 — as contributing to further inflation. This comes even as some Republicans have touted investments from the legislation that their districts benefited from. 

Polling has offered a mix bag for both parties heading into November — polls have shown Biden trailing or tied with former President Trump in battleground states, while Senate Democratic candidates are outperforming their Republican contenders. 

Yet Democrats are also defending a difficult reelection map after Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) opted against seeking reelection in West Virginia and Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) are running in states that Trump won handily in 2020. 

Polling for congressional down ballot races often come down to the wire, however, raising questions over how voters will weigh their options in the fall.