Three House Republicans who voted to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy are now being targeted in a fresh wave of advertisements on television. An outside group, which has connections to a close ally of McCarthy, has launched these ads specifically focusing on their stance on border security funding.
According to the ad tracking firm AdImpact, the nonprofit advocacy group American Prosperity Alliance has invested almost $700,000 in advertising aimed at Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Bob Good of Virginia, and Eli Crane of Arizona. The group has also allocated over $90,000 to target Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, who is considered a key target for the GOP in the upcoming general election.
In a news release, the group, established in 2022, declared its intention to focus on members of Congress who have previously voted against funding for enhanced border security.
The group has launched two advertisements directed at Good and Mace, emphasizing their voting record on key border security issues. The ads highlight their opposition to funding for border security, their votes against allocating billions of dollars for ICE, their opposition to funding for new technology, and their resistance to increasing the number of border agents. These ads specifically reference their votes against a comprehensive government spending package that received opposition from 112 House Republicans.
According to NBC News, Brian O. Walsh, a Republican strategist and a senior adviser to American Prosperity Alliance, clarified that he does not speak on behalf of McCarthy, R-Calif., despite being a close ally of his.
The group, being a nonprofit organization, is not required to disclose its donors. It remains uncertain whether McCarthy is involved in this particular endeavor. Supporters were hesitant to explicitly label it as a “revenge tour” against the former colleagues who united to remove him from power.
According to a source familiar with the groups’ strategy, McCarthy has been actively supporting challengers to certain GOP incumbents. However, the source clarified that this support should not be seen as an active “recruitment” process. Instead, McCarthy is backing candidates who have already independently decided to run.
McCarthy’s exact role remains uncertain, but in October, he hinted at the possibility of confronting the lawmakers who played a part in his loss of the speakership.
McCarthy expressed his disappointment with the eight Republicans who voted to remove him from his position, stating, “A lot of them I helped get elected, so I probably should have chosen someone else.” When asked if he would support primary challengers against those members, McCarthy responded, “I’m a free agent now, aren’t I?”
Mace, Good, and Crane are all encountering primary challengers who pose a credible threat. In Arizona, Crane is up against Jack Smith, a former Yavapai County Supervisor. Meanwhile, in Virginia, Good is facing off against state Sen. John McGuire. It’s worth noting that Good has received some criticism from allies of former President Donald Trump for endorsing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the 2024 presidential primaries.
Good’s spokesperson did not respond to a comment request. Good, who is the chairman of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, is anticipated to face more opposition as his primary in June approaches. According to The New York Times, last month the Republican Main Street Partnership, a group that supports centrist House Republicans, announced that its super PAC would participate in the race to defeat Good. However, the group has not yet begun spending in the race.
Catherine Templeton, an attorney who previously held two positions in former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s Cabinet, is now facing Mace. This week, Templeton received support from an external organization.
The super PAC affiliated with Winning for Women, an organization that advocates for female GOP candidates, aired a fresh television advertisement on Tuesday to promote Templeton. Previously, this group and Haley had supported Mace during her challenging primary in 2022. However, they have now chosen to endorse Mace’s opponent.
“We are excited to back principled leaders like Catherine Templeton who are committed to governing with conservative values and a sense of responsibility,” stated Danielle Barrow, executive director of Winning for Women Action Fund.
Mace, who was previously critical of Trump, eventually changed her stance and gave her endorsement to him during the 2024 GOP presidential primaries. In return, Trump also showed his support for her. Templeton, on the other hand, initially supported Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., but later shifted her support to Trump in the race.
According to Barrow, Templeton is the sole reliable conservative candidate in this race, and Lowcountry voters can rely on her to secure the border, halt inflation, and genuinely serve the interests of the people in Washington.
This is just the beginning of the efforts to challenge McCarthy’s critics.
“There will be increased participation from additional groups,” stated the source who is knowledgeable about the groups’ plan. They emphasized that this is not the final stage of their efforts.
Bridget Bowman works as a deputy editor for NBC’s Political Unit.
As a Capitol Hill correspondent for NBC News, based in Washington, Ali Vitali brings her expertise in reporting on the latest happenings in the political landscape.