Mitch Perry
The enormously wealthy and powerful Charles and David Koch, better known as the Koch Brothers, have become an increasingly influential team in recent years as they spend their money on causes (and candidates) they support.
But in progressive, and even independent circles, their name has been invoked as representing something almost sinister polluting the body politic.
Now the Democratic super PAC for American Bridge 21st Century hopes that by linking them to Florida presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio, they can hurt their chances in next year’s presidential election.
The group’s policy arm, American Bridge, released a report Thursday called, Florida Man Buys State: Koch Impacts in the Sunshine State, which they label a comprehensive look at how the Kochs’ operations have changed Florida politics. The report includes previously published information familiar to Florida political observers, such as the libertarian brothers’ relationship with Bush, Rubio and Gov. Rick Scott; its contention that the Koch Brothers-funded Americans for Prosperity hurts average Floridians, and how the Kochs have attempted to buy influence at institutions such as Florida State University.
In January, the political network overseen by the two conservative billionaires said it intends to spend close to $900 million in the 2016 election cycle, and it recently listed five candidates who they are thinking of supporting: Bush, Rubio, Scott Walker, Rand Paul and Ted Cruz.
Rubio recently acknowledged that he’d love to be the recipient of their largesse, saying, “I would love to earn their support. I think generally we are clearly aligned on issues.”
Last month, Skylar Zander, the Florida deputy director for Americans for Prosperity, told Venice Republican state Sen. Nancy Detert during a fiery exchange at a committee meeting that he “wished he got a ton of money from the Koch Brothers” but said they’re just one of thousands of donors to AFP.
Detert was angry after AFP sent mailers blasting her for supporting a bill that would revamp the state’s program for film-making incentives. The bill did not make it past the House or Senate this year, but advocates think it will be brought back up during next month’s Special Legislative Session.
The Bridge Project said that throughout the month of May it will be releasing in-depth reports on the Kochs’ strategies for “buying” candidates” and leveraging their political power in places such as Iowa.
