Daily Disclosure: Club for Growth and FreedomWorks fuel Texas GOP Senate fight

Introduction

Super PACs continue to pour money into the U.S. Senate GOP primary runoff in Texas, with some groups spending to support establishment favorite David Dewhurst and others to support tea party-backed Ted Cruz.

On May 29, Dewhurst, the lieutenant governor of Texas, failed to secure 50 percent of the vote in the GOP primary. Cruz, the state’s former solicitor general, finished second, thrusting the two men into a runoff, which will be held on July 31.

On Wednesday, Club for Growth Action, a super PAC that supports fiscally conservative candidates, reported spending more than $450,000 on ads designed to aid Cruz, their favored candidate. The documents filed with the Federal Election Commission note that the money was spent on July 17.

This comes in addition to a $1.5 million ad campaign that Club for Growth Action announced last week, when they launched a pro-Cruz ad called “Time” and an anti-Dewhurst ad called “Mud.”

The tea party-aligned super PAC FreedomWorks for America has also aided Cruz’s campaign with more than $71,000 in expenditures between July 12 and July 17, the group reported Wednesday. FreedomWorks for America has already produced two pro-Cruz ads this month.

Also on Wednesday, the Senate Conservatives Fund, a GOP super PAC that was formerly the leadership PAC of Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., reported spending nearly $2,000 on pro-Cruz online ads between July 14 and July 17.

Meanwhile, the Texas Conservatives Fund, a pro-Dewhurst super PAC, on Wednesday reported a $1.35 million buy for a Cruz attack ad called “No Principles.”

In other outside spending news:

• The Republican National Committee today released “The Busiest President,” an online ad criticizing President Barack Obama for his golf trips and fundraising events.
• In documents submitted to the FEC today and Wednesday, Restore America’s Voice PAC, a conservative super PAC, has reported spending $111,900 on online advertising and “telemarketing fundraisers” opposing Obama. The super PAC is focused on repealing Obama’s signature Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. “Obamacare,” as well as electing Republican senators and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
• Once again, environmental groups are targeting Heather Wilson, the GOP candidate for U.S. Senate in New Mexico. On Wednesday, the Defenders of Wildlife Action Committee reported spending more than $18,000 on mailers on July 16 opposing her candidacy.
• According to filings with the FEC on Wednesday, the National Association of Realtors has spent more than $173,000 on ads, consulting and polls in support of Texan Democrat Marc Veasey, who is running for Congress in the state’s 33rd Congressional District.
• This week, American Bridge 21st Century, a pro-Democrat super PAC, and the Courage Campaign Super PAC, a California-focused progressive super PAC, launched “Mitt Gets Worse,” an online project drawing attention to Romney’s record on issues of importance to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals.
• The National Republican Congressional Committee placed billboards in western New York Wednesday opposing Obama and incumbent Rep. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y.
• The pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action spent nearly $182,000 on anti-Romney radio ads on July 16, the group reported Wednesday. The spending comes on the heels of news that the group raised $6 million in June, including $1 million from actor Morgan Freeman, according to the Los Angeles Times.