A super PAC linked to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is making new investments in three blue wall states as Republicans seek to shore up their odds of a Senate majority next year.
The Senate Leadership Fund will spend a combined $67.5 million on TV, radio, and digital advertising in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, the three states former President Donald Trump flipped in 2016 to win a single term in the White House.
Of that total, $28 million will be committed to Pennsylvania, $22.5 million to Michigan, and $17 million to Wisconsin.
The Senate Leadership Fund had already announced a prior commitment of $24 million in Pennsylvania, but the additional spending further aligns Senate Republicans with Trump’s focus on cracking Democrats’ blue wall once again.
Trump lost all three states in 2020 but is polling competitively against Vice President Kamala Harris.
Republicans already had a favorable Senate map this year. They are likely to pick up West Virginia following the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) and must net one more seat to guarantee a majority.
The top contenders are Democratic-held seats in Ohio and Montana, where SLF and American Crossroads, an affiliated super PAC, have dedicated a combined $130 million so far. Trump won Ohio by 8 points in 2020 and Montana by 16.
Entrepreneur Bernie Moreno, the Republican candidate in Ohio, still trails in public polling against Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) but is running within the margin of error. Meanwhile, Republican Tim Sheehy has taken a decided lead in recent polling against Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) in Montana.
The challenge for Senate Republicans outside of those states is defeating Democratic incumbents who consistently outrun Harris and have outraised their GOP counterparts. The infusion of cash from SLF could help level the playing field.
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Michigan is rated a “toss-up” by Cook Political Report, while Wisconsin is rated “lean Democratic.”
“We’re able to expand the Senate map because we have quality candidates who are keeping their races competitive,” Steven Law, the president and CEO of SLF, said in a statement.