WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, in a first for the organization, the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State’s (DASS)-backed independent expenditure arm, Safe Accessible Fair Elections (SAFE) launched the first wave of advertisements for a larger $25 million campaign to highlight how Republican candidates in key battleground states plan to undermine voting rights, derail democracy, and take away Americans’ freedoms.
Should any of these Republicans take office, they would have considerable sway over how the presidential election is conducted in 2024. And, they could disrupt future elections – either by refusing to certify accurate results, or by issuing regulatory directives that target absentee ballots and voter registrations.
“The Republican Party knows that stripping Americans of our freedoms – like banning abortions – is unpopular, so they are willing to steal our right to vote to get it. If changing the rules doesn’t work, they’re willing to toss out the election in order to pick and choose winners,” said Kim Rogers, executive director of DASS. “We have seen a coordinated attack on our democracy and these extreme candidates are part of the problem. Luckily, voters have a choice. Democracy is a decision. And we’re choosing to save it.”
The initial $11 million in television spending is part of a larger DASS-supported program that includes digital advertising, direct mail, and field components to register, engage, and mobilize voters in the ramp up to the 2022 election. Created by some of the industry’s leading experts, the total program was designed using the latest tools, technology, and tactics to maximize how dollars were allocated to achieve maximum results.
The campaign is also a part of a larger planned spend including direct support of state party campaigns in Arizona and Georgia. Investments in those states will be between $10 million to $14 million collectively.
The effort also marks a first for the organization, which lacked a full-time staff and programmatic support up until two years ago. Beginning the 2022 cycle with a modest $2.5 million budget, DASS and its affiliated organizations were able expand their efforts ten-fold, as more Americans wake up to the reality that the country is at a crossroads, American self-government is in peril, and Republicans want to strip them of their basic rights – like the right to access abortion care.
According to one recent NBC poll, voters listed “threats to democracy” as the most important issue facing the country, and six in 10 voters disapprove of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Similarly, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 58 percent said Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” is threatening America’s democratic foundations.
“In Her Own Words” uses Kristina Karamo’s own words to demonstrate just how wrong she is for Michigan — including highlighting her outsized focus on culture war issues such as women’s choice and so-called demonic possession over protecting elections and serving the people of Michigan. It will run on broadcast and cable in the Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Flint media markets. You can watch it here:
“Decision” highlights the choice Minnesotans have this fall – a choice between the steady leadership of Secretary Steve Simon who has made Minnesota first in voter turnout and his opponent, Kim Crockett who is running on rolling back access to the ballot and has made it clear that her agenda doesn’t involve people who don’t look like her. The ad will run on broadcast and cable in the Minneapolis-St. Paul and Duluth media markets. You can watch it here:
“Trust” highlights how dangerous Jim Marchant is for Nevada – both for his extreme anti-choice views, as well as for his radical plan to end early voting and vote-by-mail. This blatant power grab by Marchant on behalf of himself and his partisan allies is set in direct contrast with Cisco Aguilar, who is committed to protecting all Nevadans’ freedom to vote and ensuring that every eligible vote is counted. This advertisement will run on broadcast and cable in both the Las Vegas and Reno media markets. You can watch it here:
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