Senate Leadership Fund pauses North Carolina Senate ad spending, moves money to Kansas
The Republican super PAC Senate Leadership Fund is halting new ad spending in North Carolina's Senate race and putting money into Kansas, first reported by Semafor. NBC News and the New York Post differ in how they frame the move and in the dollar figures they give.
1 / 3
The story, neutrally told
MixedThe Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), a super PAC aligned with Senate Republican leadership, is pausing new ad spending in North Carolina's Senate race and starting a new ad effort in Kansas. NBC NewsLC “A top Republican super PAC is pausing its ad spending in the Senate race in North Carolina and launching a new ad effort in Kansas” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “Republicans are moving up to $10 million from North Carolina’s Senate race and putting it toward shoring up deep-red Kansas” Read at New York Post ↗ MixedSemafor first reported the move. NBC News said two people with knowledge of the decision confirmed it, and the New York Post cited sources familiar with the super PAC's thinking. NBC NewsLC “were first reported by Semafor and confirmed by two people with knowledge of the decision” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “according to sources familiar with the super PAC’s thinking” Read at New York Post ↗ RightThe New York Post reported that SLF had initially set aside $71 million for North Carolina, where Republican nominee Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman, faces Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper, and has spent only about $30 million. New York PostR “initially set aside $71 million to elevate North Carolina GOP nominee Michael Whatley — but is now cutting its losses after shelling out just $30 million” Read at New York Post ↗
LeftNBC News, citing the ad-tracking firm AdImpact, said SLF spent more than $17 million on the race in September and still has another $19 million in ads booked through Election Day, with no plans to add to that. NBC NewsLC “In September, the group spent more than $17 million on the race, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. The group still has another $19 million in ads booked through Election Day but now has no plans to add to that.” Read at NBC News ↗ RightThe New York Post also reported that the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc. and the National Republican Senatorial Committee are cancelling future North Carolina spending through Election Day, according to sources. New York PostR “both the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc. and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC)”“are canceling future spending on North Carolina through Election Day, sources noted” Read at New York Post ↗ RightIn Kansas, a source told the Post at least $8.2 million is now going to boost Sen. Roger Marshall, and another suggested the total could top $10 million before the Nov. 3 election. New York PostR “at least $8.2 million is now being used to boost incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), while another suggested the sum sent to the Sunflower State could top $10 million before Election Day Nov. 3.” Read at New York Post ↗
RightThe Post also reported that at least $20 million is being diverted to Iowa to help Rep. Ashley Hinson, and $14 million is going to the Ohio race of Sen. Jon Husted. New York PostR “At least $20 million is also being diverted to Iowa to help GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson”“Another $14 million is going to the Ohio Senate race” Read at New York Post ↗ RightA source told Semafor that SLF's job is to maintain the majority and that the move reflects the most effective and efficient use of resources to do so. New York PostR ““SLF’s job is to maintain the majority and this move reflects the most effective and efficient use of resources to do exactly that,” another source told Semafor” Read at New York Post ↗ MixedCooper leads Whatley by nine percentage points in the latest RealClearPolitics average, according to the Post, and NBC News said Republicans have been pessimistic about the state for weeks, with Cooper also outspending Whatley. New York PostR “Democratic former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper leads Whatley, the ex-Republican National Committee chairman, by nine percentage points in the latest RealClearPolitics polling average.” Read at New York Post ↗ NBC NewsLC “Republicans have been pessimistic for weeks about their prospects in the state, with Cooper leading in recent polling and outspending Whatley.” Read at NBC News ↗
MixedKansas has become more competitive: Marshall faces Democratic pastor Adam Hamilton, and the Post reports an RCP average with Marshall up 1.5 points, while Emerson College and Wedgewood polls show Hamilton ahead by two. NBC notes Kansas has not sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1932. New York PostR “The RCP average shows Marshall ahead by just 1.5 percentage points”“More recent surveys from Emerson College and Wedgewood Polls show Hamilton ahead by two percentage points.” Read at New York Post ↗ NBC NewsLC “even though the state has not sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1932” Read at NBC News ↗ MixedRepublicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, so Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control. NBC News places the shift against a tough GOP environment, citing falling approval ratings for President Donald Trump and voter frustration over costs and the Iran war. New York PostR “The GOP currently holds a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning Democrats have to flip a net of four seats” Read at New York Post ↗ NBC NewsLC “as Trump’s approval ratings drop and voters express frustrations with high costs and the Iran war” Read at NBC News ↗ LeftNBC News said SLF has not paused spending in Georgia, where Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is running, and listed September spending including $78 million in Texas through an affiliated group and nearly $33 million in Ohio. NBC NewsLC “one person familiar with SLF’s spending noted the group has not paused its spending in that race”“In September, SLF spent $78 million on ads in Texas through an affiliated group, and SLF itself spent nearly $33 million in Ohio.” Read at NBC News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Treats the pause as a sign of a worsening GOP map, with Democrats pushing into traditionally Republican states.
- Emphasis
- Trump's falling approval, the Iran war and cost frustrations; AdImpact spending data across many states; Trump and Vance's visits to boost Whatley.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report the $71 million originally set aside, the Iowa and Ohio diversions, or MAGA Inc. and NRSC cancelling North Carolina spending.
- Charged language
- “increasingly tough landscape”“drifting away from the GOP”
- For example
-
“the latest sign the fight for the majority is shifting to red states amid an increasingly tough landscape for the GOP” — NBC News
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Presents the move as a Republican reallocation to defend the majority, with detail on where the money goes.
- Emphasis
- Dollar figures for money moved to Kansas, Iowa and Ohio; the $71M versus $30M spend; a source calling it the most efficient use of resources; Kansas polling and ad fights.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Trump's approval, the Iran war or the Georgia spending, and gives no AdImpact tallies for other states.
- Charged language
- “cutting its losses”“late bid to save majority”
- For example
-
“is now cutting its losses after shelling out just $30 million” — New York Post
What every side reports
- SLF is pausing new ad spending in North Carolina and putting resources into Kansas.
- Semafor first reported the move, based on anonymous sources.
- Roy Cooper leads Michael Whatley in North Carolina polling.
- Roger Marshall faces a competitive race against Democrat Adam Hamilton in Kansas.
- Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win the Senate.
Where accounts differ
-
How to characterise the move and its scale
- Left
- A signal that the Senate fight is shifting to red states in a difficult GOP landscape; NC is 'drifting away' from Republicans. Gives SLF's NC commitment as $17M spent in September plus $19M booked.
- Right
- A 'late bid to save majority' in which Republicans are 'cutting its losses'; up to $10M moved out of NC, which had $71M set aside and about $30M spent.
Senate Leadership Fund organisation
Per an anonymous source quoted by Semafor, SLF says its job is to maintain the majority and the shift is the most efficient use of resources. NBC reports it has no plans to add to its North Carolina bookings.
““SLF’s job is to maintain the majority and this move reflects the most effective and efficient use of resources to do exactly that,” another source told Semafor” — New York Post
“now has no plans to add to that” — NBC News
Michael Whatley person
Whatley is the Republican nominee, encouraged to run by Trump and boosted by visits from Trump and Vance, but trails Cooper in polling and spending.
“Trump and Vice President JD Vance also each traveled to the state last month to boost Whatley” — NBC News
Left2 articles
-
GOP super PAC pauses spending in North Carolina Senate race, shifting money to Kansas
Mixed Analytical report presenting the pause as a signal of Republican difficulty in a tough national environment.
-
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Mixed Scoop-style report stressing money flows and a late effort to protect the majority, with a 'cutting its losses' angle on North Carolina.
- 2 Oct 17:24 First NBC NewsLC GOP super PAC pauses spending in North Carolina Senate race, shifting money to Kansas
- 2 Oct 18:53 +1h 30m New York PostR GOP pulling up to $10M out of North Carolina Senate race, diverting to Kansas in late bid to save majority
- 2 Oct 19:02 +1h 39m Raw StoryL 'Triage begins': Panicked Republicans launch 'rescue mission' to save MAGA senator
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.