Priorities USA Action is pouring $5 million into pro-Clinton voter outreach and radio ads. | AP Photo Pro-Clinton super PAC cracks open its war chest

A super PAC supporting Hillary Clinton is cracking open its war chest to bolster the former secretary of state in the primaries.

In what some see as a sign of the tightening race between the two Democratic candidates, Priorities USA Action is pouring $5 million into pro-Clinton voter outreach and radio ads.


The majority of the money — $4.5 million — will go to voter outreach in early-voting states, which started on Friday with Georgia and Illinois, and others will be added on a rolling basis. The group has teamed up with other pro-Clinton organizations for the early-voting campaign.

“We want to make sure that we’re educating voters on where, when and how they can vote,” spokesman Justin Barasky told POLITICO.

The group also launched a half-million dollar radio buy in South Carolina that will air through the state’s primary. The ad ties Clinton with President Barack Obama and portrays her as the person he trusted to be secretary of state and someone who is capable of carrying on his legacy.

“It is truly unfortunate that the largest pro-Clinton super PAC has decided to infect the democratic primary process with its haul of Wall Street cash. Democratic voters expect more,” Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver said in a statement. “Doesn’t the Clinton campaign have the funds to run its own ads without resorting to its super PAC, which is funded by the very people Secretary Clinton has promised to take on?”

The move by the organization has been anticipated by the Sanders campaign for some time as his candidacy gains momentum. The Vermont senator placed 0.3 percentage points below Clinton (49.6 to her 49.9) in Iowa and beat her by 22 points in New Hampshire.

But Barasky insists they would have spent some money in the primary regardless.

“Today’s announcement changes nothing in terms of the fact that our main focus will still be on the general election,” he said. “We’re clear eyed that this is going to be a long primary. I’d much rather be in our position that the position of what’s going on the Republican side.”

“The money we’re spending here is positive, pro-Hillary spending, and we’re still very confident she’ll be the nominee,” he added.

As of the end of January, Priorities USA had $36 million in the bank.

The spending was first reported by The Washington Post.