The American Action Network (AAN), a center-right advocacy group, is allocating at least $10 million to help House GOP candidates in districts where the state party is unable to provide much assistance.
The group is teaming up in these “orphan states” with existing grassroots groups in areas such as establishing phone banks, opening offices, compiling voter data, and conducting voter registration drives,
Politico reports.
The AAN is seeking to create a strong local network for the long term. “We wanted to build something to serve as a counterbalance to the folks on the left,” Brian Walsh, president of AAN, told Politico. “It has always been a focus of ours.” The group already has posted several people in specific locations, such as New York’s 19th District, which is represented by GOP Rep. Nan Hayworth.
The spending will come from AAN’s issue advocacy budget, rather than its affiliated super PAC, the Congressional Leadership Fund.
The AAN will be one of the first outside groups to get involved with races on the ground, as opposed to just running ads. The orphan states represent a major focus for House Speaker John Boehner and other top Republicans concerned about maintaining the party’s House majority.
The AAN will cooperate with tea party groups and others that have shared goals. The AAN already has formed an alliance with the New Prosperity Foundation (NPF) in Illinois, which seeks economic growth through free enterprise.
They are “working through what opportunities we could have with shared information, external and internal polling,” Christine Dudley, executive director of NPF, told Politico.
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