A super PAC linked to billionaire conservative donors Charles and David Koch is launching a $1.5 million ad campaign designed to boost Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Laxalt and hurt his Democratic opponent, Steve Sisolak.

Freedom Partners Action Fund announced Wednesday that it was launching two ads, entitled “Getting it Done” and “Crony Politics” as part of its first foray on state airwaves since the primary election earlier this month. The ad buy is in addition to an earlier, seven-figure reservation it made after Laxalt officially announced his gubernatorial candidacy.

The first ad cites Laxalt’s efforts to reorganize the state Attorney General’s office, saying he returned “millions of dollars” to the state and saved “taxpayers money.” It cites a September 2017 press release from his office stating that he had returned about $30 million to the state’s general budget account, through $24.8 million in settlement funds and $4.8 million in “salary and operating efficiencies.”

The second ad revolves around a Nevada Independent story on the roughly $600,000 in campaign contributions received by Sisolak, the chairman of the Clark County Commission, on or near days that the commission met throughout 2017. The ad also highlights a $10,000 contribution from Las Vegas Paving, the day after the commission voted unanimously to award the company a $1.9 million contract.

“Adam Laxalt has demonstrated that he’ll be a leader on issues, including stopping wasteful government spending, that help Nevada communities and families improve their lives,” Freedom Partners spokesman James Davis said in a statement. “In stark contrast, Steve Sisolak’s time as Clark County Commission Chair raises questions about abusing the office to fuel personal political ambitions rather than addressing the people’s business.”

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Freedom Partners Action Fund spent nearly $8.4 million on ads attacking Nevada Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto in 2016.

Disclosure: Steve Sisolak has donated to The Nevada Independent. You can see a full has donated to The Nevada Independent. You can see a full list of donors here



