Most people have been tired of these ads for a couple of months. The degree of saturation has been amazing. The question arises: from where did the money arise that is funding many of these ads?
It turns out that some of the nastiest ads were produced by a PAC called NC True Conservatives. Its campaign finance report with the state reveals it received a $350,000 donation from the Good Government Coalition based in northern Virginia near Washington, D.C.
This same group– the Good Government Coalition— has a website; but does not have an Federal Election Commission report online or a current report with the NC State Board of Elections. It is therefore difficult to know who is funding it.
Dark money. I wonder what the funders of these ads believe they are receiving in return for their investment.
Addendum: The Daily Haymaker says there also may be gambling money affecting this race.
LIVING IN THE HILLS OF VIRGINIA I HAVEN’T SEEN ALL THE MUD SLINGING.
I TRUST GOD TO CHOOSE THE WINNER.
Fred, there has been a HUGE amount of mudslinging. Local TV is literally full of it.
It is such an extreme spend on behalf of Berger for a legislative race that Berger [assuming his purchase of the election is accepted by the public] should be under a microscope for his every action in the next session of the General Assembly.
People don’t clandestinely spend this kind of money without expecting to profit from it.
J. Sobran, I read this week that early voting turnout is heavy in Rockingham County and lighter in Guilford County. That might disadvantage Berger and advantage Page. We shall see how that shakes out. I suspect many Rockingham County voters don’t believe the negative advertising about Page; and are aggrieved that he has been slandered. But that is just a hunch. He has been a popular figure in Rockingham County for many years, out in the community.
Both candidates probably have strengths and weaknesses. My inclination has been to stay out of this one mostly because I have friends on both sides of this race. But it is a consequential primary race, obviously. Berger is the most powerful man in the state, and ordinarily, district voters would want to preserve that level of influence on behalf of the district. There are issues that have made Berger more vulnerable than he has ever been, at least by my recollection.