WASHINGTON, DC: In a move aimed at Donald Trump's supporters, a new super-PAC aligned with the conservative Club for Growth has launched a $3.6 million advertising campaign questioning the former president's electability. The ad, funded by the newly formed Win It Back PAC, emphasizes the need for a candidate who can attract voters to secure victory in the general election. Starting Tuesday, the advertisement will run in Iowa and South Carolina, key early-voting states, as part of a strategy to influence the upcoming Republican primary.
Win It Back PAC, which filed with the Federal Election Commission last week, has yet to disclose its donors. However, it is closely associated with the influential Club for Growth. The president of the Club, David McIntosh, serves as the assistant treasurer of Win It Back PAC, and both organizations share an office in Washington. Adam Rozansky, the Club's treasurer, reportedly manages the anti-Trump PAC.
What is Club for Growth?
The Club for Growth is a prominent 501(c)(4) or nonprofit conservative organization that holds significant influence in Republican primary contests. Its primary focus revolves around advocating for tax cuts and other economic policy issues. The organization is supported by prominent billionaires Jeff Yass and Richard Uihlein. The Club operates through two political arms: Club for Growth PAC, a traditional political action committee, and Club for Growth Action, an independent-expenditure-only committee or super-PAC.
According to its website, Club for Growth's policy goals include reducing income tax rates, repealing the estate tax, supporting limited government and a balanced budget amendment, advocating for entitlement reform, promoting free trade, pushing for tort reform, advocating for school choice, and championing deregulation. The recent Win It Back ad does not explicitly endorse any of Trump's major challengers for the nomination but it is noteworthy that Uihlein and Yass both support Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Current polls indicate that Trump remains the front-runner for the GOP nomination, with DeSantis trailing in second place.
Donald Trump and Club for Growth's complicated relationship
The emergence of Win It Back PAC represents another twist in the complicated relationship between Trump and the Club for Growth. During the 2016 primaries, the Club spent millions of dollars in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Trump from securing the nomination. However, their relationship improved during the Trump administration, with David McIntosh serving as an outside political adviser to the former president. This Club, however, started distancing itself from Trump sometime after he lost the elections in 2021.
Tensions flared between the two last year when Trump and the Club clashed over the Ohio GOP Senate primary. Trump backed JD Vance, the eventual winner, against the wishes of McIntosh, who supported a rival candidate, Josh Mandel. Earlier this year, McIntosh stated that the Club for Growth would oppose Trump in the 2024 election, asserting that "the party should be open to another candidate." The Club also omitted Trump from its list of invitees to a donor retreat held in Palm Beach, Florida, although other candidates, including Ron DeSantis, were invited.
Following Politico's report on the emergence of Win It Back PAC, Trump criticized the Club for Growth during a speech in Iowa, labeling it the "Club for No Growth" and referring to it as "the worst." He expressed his displeasure by stating, "I was with them for a while, and then we had arguments over candidates that I liked."
Ad campaign challenging Trump's electability
The 60-second Win It Back ad takes a softer approach compared to some other ads targeting Trump, refraining from endorsing an alternative candidate. The ad features a man named John sitting on his doorstep, expressing his initial support for Trump during his first presidential run but questioning his ability to win the general elections against a Democrat in 2024. John highlights the "drama" surrounding Trump, which impacted his family dynamics, and raises concerns about Trump's ability to focus on moving the country forward. “He’s got so many distractions, the constant fighting, something every day, and I’m not sure he can focus on moving the country forward,” John says. “The election is really important because we’re going in the wrong direction,” he continues, adding, “I mean, we definitely need somebody that can freaking win. I think you’d probably lose that bet if you voted for Trump.”
Trump's campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, excoriated the ad, stating, “Another swampy DC insider group using shady money to hurt America. Instead of bowing down and kowtowing to their CCP masters, Club for China Growth should be helping the people of Iowa and South Carolina fight against the Biden Regime who has put China First.”
The Win It Back PAC's donor list remains undisclosed, as the group is not required to file contribution disclosure forms until early next year, coinciding with the start of the primary season. This anti-Trump offensive bears some resemblance to the Club for Growth's efforts during the 2016 election, where they sought to prevent Trump's nomination. At the time, Trump publicly criticized the organization, referring to its officials as "stupid" and "extortionists."