A conservative Koch network ally is airing radio and TV ads in Indiana critical of the Trump administration's tariffs ahead of President Donald Trump's campaign rally there Thursday, The Washington Times reported.
The Freedom Partners video in television markets is titled "Trade Builds America."
"To keep growing, we must keep trading," the narrator states. "Tariffs are not the answer."
The campaign comes as the president heads to a rally Thursday night in Evansville, Indiana, for GOP Senate candidate Mike Braun, a businessman challenging Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind.
According to the Times, Braun has said he trusts Trump's decisions on tariffs — but the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, which opposes the tariffs, has decided not to endorse a candidate in the Senate race for the first time in a decade.
In a blog post Wednesday, Freedom Partners argued Indiana exported $37.8 billion worth of goods in 2017, and trade supports more than 180,000 jobs in the state.
It then cited examples of Indiana companies that have laid off workers due to rising costs of steel and aluminum from tariffs, and of farmers hurt by retaliatory foreign tariffs on soybeans.
"With many Hoosier businesses and jobs reliant on trade, it's easy to see how setting up barriers like tariffs are ultimately harmful for the state," the blog post asserted.
In a tweet Wednesday, Trump predicted a tentative revised trade deal this week with Mexico will be a "big hit" with both employers and workers, including farmers.
"Our new trade deal with Mexico focuses on farmers, growth for our country, tearing down trade barriers, jobs, and having companies continue to pour back into our country," Trump's tweet read. "It will be a big hit!"
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