The seemingly non-stop attack ads being run by Jeb’s SuperPAC, Right to Rise USA, are causing deep concern among Jeb supporters, the NY Times reports:
When Jeb Bush and his allies began helping the “super PAC” supporting him raise more than $100 million last year, his bid for the Republican nomination seemed like a safe bet. But as Mr. Bush’s campaign continues to lag, his backers are increasingly turning their frustrations over his foundering candidacy on the group, Right to Rise, and its inability to influence the race.Some donors quietly worry about how the cash-rich group is spending its money, confounded by how few tangible results the tens of millions it has pumped into the race so far have yielded. Others have expressed dismay with negative ads Right to Rise has run ….The frustrations spilled into full view at a private meeting Friday at the Palace Hotel in Midtown Manhattan between Mike Murphy, the group’s chief strategist, and roughly three-dozen donors. Barry Volpert, a partner at the private equity firm Crestview Partners, sharply questioned Mr. Murphy about ads his group had aired attacking Senator Marco Rubio, one of Mr. Bush’s chief rivals for the nomination.The concern over the negative ads is shared by some donors who have long worried that if Mr. Bush does not win the nomination, such attacks could irreparably harm the eventual nominee. Mr. Volpert, who has associates supporting Mr. Rubio, specifically raised concerns about damaging the Florida senator.
I don’t watch TV that much, but when I was on break in Scottsdale the past several weeks I did. The attacks on Rubio were non-stop. Round-the-clock. Often separated by mere minutes.
It was infuriating, and not because I think Rubio should be protected. The ads were just bad and succeeded only in stoking negative feelings in me towards Jeb.
While the ads aren’t technically Jeb ads, in this day and age closely aligned SuperPACs are viewed as part of the campaign.
I guess the strategy is to take out Rubio, and hope that Jeb is the last non-Trump non-Cruz candidate standing. If that’s the strategy, Chris Christie and John Kasich should be thanking Right to Rise.
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