Pro-Byron Donalds ad kicks off $1M+ in Club for Growth CD 19 TV buys

Club For Growth's "One America" ad spotlights Byron Donalds.

Club For Growth reserved more than $1 million in television ad time in the Fort Myers-Naples media market to be spent between now and the August primary.

The first use of that time apparently will be an ad promoting congressional candidate Byron Donalds. One of nine Republicans seeking the nomination for an open seat, he picked up Club For Growth’s endorsement earlier this month.

A new video posted Tuesday on YouTube showcases Donalds, including spotlighting a recent Fox News interview where he addressed police issues driving violent protests.

“Justice will be done, Donalds said. But what we can’t do, what we should never do, is riot in our streets and burn down businesses, because if we truly want justice we have to come together as one America,” Donalds said.

The quote gives the ad its name, “One America.”

Politico first reported Club For Growth reserved $300,000 in ad time in the area for this ad alone, the first big spend by an outside group in one of Florida’s most expensive campaigns this election cycle.

But a search through FCC filings shows that’s only the beginning of Club For Growth’s on-air participation in the race. The ad is expected to run hundreds of times over the next couple weeks.

The Washington, D.C.-based organization confirms this is one of two ad buys it has made in the race. In addition to $300,000 for the current ad buy, Club for Growth reserved $800,000 on air time from late July through the Aug. 18 primary.

And while this ad defines Donalds in kind terms, history shows the group has so problem slinging mud in a primary.

Joe Kildea, vice president for communications for Club For Growth and a veteran Florida campaign professional, said the future tone has not been determined yet.

“That will be informed by our analysis of the polling, the news and other facts,” Kildea.

The group has released no public polling for the race, Kildea said.

So far, the only Florida candidates for Congress endorsed by Club for Growth are Donalds and incumbent Rep. Ross Spano. Kildea said the group plans to buy time in Spano’s media markets in the future as well.