A network of donors is funding ads for third-party candidates in Michigan and Wisconsin, aiming to siphon conservative votes from Donald Trump. The Democratic-aligned super PAC Retire Career Politicians is behind ads boosting Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who left the race months ago, as well as Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver and Constitution Party nominee Randall Terry.
Retire Career Politicians, created in April, has spent at least $305,000 promoting Kennedy and Oliver as alternatives to Trump. Ads for Oliver portray him as a small-government champion who would “abolish income taxes,” while messages for Kennedy describe him as a former Democrat who has broken from the “party of war.” Both messages appear designed to attract Trump’s conservative base by appealing to their anti-establishment and libertarian leanings.
Dem-linked super PAC boosts third-party candidate in Pennsylvania Senate race to block McCormick https://t.co/FBv3qbstJ5
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) October 30, 2024
Other Democratic super PACs, such as Civic Truth Action and Voters of These 50 States of America, have joined the effort. Civic Truth Action received $55,000 from Retire Career Politicians for pro-Kennedy ads and an additional $1.5 million to support Oliver, whose anti-tax message resonates with many Trump supporters. Voters of These 50 States, primarily funded by a nonprofit named Evidence for Impact, spent $1.4 million last week on pro-Oliver ads in Michigan.
Marc Elias, a longtime Democratic lawyer associated with Evidence for Impact, has been under scrutiny for similar tactics. Evidence for Impact has also contributed nearly $20 million to other Democratic efforts, with $4.3 million directed to Civic Truth Action. Retire Career Politicians has also received large donations from labor unions and Democratic megadonors, while funds are spent on PAC Services LLC, an ad agency pushing pro-Oliver ads.
🚨 MORE SKETCHY MAILERS TARGETING REPUBLICANS 🚨
A Republican in Michigan sent me this ad for a third party POTUS candidate—clearly trying to siphon votes away from Trump in Michigan
This is from Civic Truth Action https://t.co/usBcL283Ae pic.twitter.com/oREae5YqF1
— Matthew Foldi (@MatthewFoldi) October 30, 2024
This strategy has raised ethical questions, as Democrats appear to be using the tactic of propping up right-leaning third-party candidates to split the conservative vote. With Election Day drawing near, critics say this network of Democratic PACs is putting money behind candidates they don’t support as part of an effort to ensure a Biden-Harris win.
