Super PAC spends $660K ahead of Primary on Kevin Hayslett attack ads
A nasty game of PAC-man?

hayslett luna
Super PACs spend millions ahead of CD 13 Primary on attack ads.

A super PAC opposing congressional candidate Kevin Hayslett has made a $661,859 television ad buy in the week leading up to the Republican Primary in Florida’s 13th Congressional District — and it’s not the only committee spending big on the race before Election Day.

In the week ahead of Tuesday’s Primary, political committees have spent thousands on media supporting and opposing the two Republican front-runners in CD 13 — former prosecutor Hayslett and Air Force veteran Anna Paulina Luna.

The largest single spend comes from the Conservative Outsider PAC, which dished out $661,859 on televised attack ads on Hayslett. The ad, purchased by the committee last Monday, started running on Wednesday, according to the Federal Election Commission. With the addition of this ad buy, the committee has spent more than $1 million since the start of August on Hayslett attack ads.

A political committee backing Hayslett — Stand for Florida — spent $341,000 across several days on ads opposing Luna and on media supporting Hayslett. The committee’s biggest single spend was a $225,000 media buy on an ad supporting Hayslett, which started running last Tuesday. That same day, the committee began running a $25,000 ad buy against Luna.

In another buy last week, the Stand for Florida committee spent $48,500 on media placement for an ad supporting Hayslett, and $7,500 on an ad attacking Luna. Another $35,000 was spent by the committee, split between text services for the two candidates.

In the month of August, Stand for Florida spent $1.85 million on media to promote Hayslett.

A Super PAC supporting Luna, the Club for Action Growth PAC, spent $59,456 in media buys. The purchases included $40,147 on radio and mail ads opposing Hayslett, and another $19,309 on radio ads supporting Luna’s campaign.

Club for Action Growth PAC has dished out $2.1 million on the race in the month of August.

The last expenditures were both made in support of Luna, with the House Freedom Action committee spending $33,518 and the GOA Victory Fund dishing out $10,511, both on digital advertising.

While Luna and Hayslett are considered front-runners in the crowded Republican Primary, the field also includes Republican strategist Amanda MakkiChristine Quinn and Moneer Kheireddine. Makki lost the Republican Primary to Luna in 2020.

The district, which has changed due to redistricting, now extends further north into traditionally red parts of Pinellas County and eliminates parts of St. Petersburg, the currently drawn district’s largest city and a Democratic stronghold. This has left one Democratic candidate — former Barack Obama administration official Eric Lynn — in the race.

Candidates are running to replace outgoing Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist as he runs for Governor.

Kelly Hayes

Kelly Hayes studied journalism and political science at the University of Florida. Kelly was born and raised in Tampa Bay. A recent graduate, she enjoys government and legal reporting. She has experience covering the Florida Legislature as well as local government, and is a proud Alligator alum. You can reach Kelly at [email protected].


3 comments

  • Elliott Offen

    August 22, 2022 at 3:26 pm

    The hogs spend so much money tearing each other’s eyeballs out just so they can then prop up the rich. Thanks to the GOP, we are in ancient Rome ladies and gentlemen. Corruption and madness now permanently baked into America. Also, the division is now permanent thanks to non repentance by supporters of the orange menace… orange crime boss. What will be baked into American life next? Christian fascist terrorism to repel those who would actually do something for ordinary people?

    • Eva Goldstein

      August 22, 2022 at 8:35 pm

      Uve got 2 b an asknazi socialist fascist bds plo blm terrorist obozo arselicker

    • Tommy Jefferson

      August 24, 2022 at 10:02 am

      I don’t think you know the difference between the Republicans and the dems. The party you are describing is the dems.
      The Biden and Clinton families have made corruption an art form. Madness? Which party can tell the difference between a man and a woman? Which one thinks you can switch sexes at will? Which one wants to mutilate small children to fit some fantasy world view?

Comments are closed.


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