The infamous right-wing network of organizations created by the Koch brothers is wading back into politics — and committing tens of millions in a last-gasp effort to deny former President Donald Trump the 2024 nomination, reportedThe New York Times Tuesday.
Presently, Trump tops all competitors by nearly 50 points in polls. However, the race to consolidate the anti-Trump vote is up for grabs, with Nikki Haley battling Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for second place.
Haley is the candidate that the Koch focus is being placed on, the Times wrote.
“In sharp contrast to recent elections that were dominated by the negative baggage of Donald Trump and in which good candidates lost races that should have been won, Nikki Haley, at the top of the ticket, would boost candidates up and down the ballot,” said a memo from Emily Seidel, who advises Americans for Prosperity Action, a key super PAC in the Koch network.
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She added that Haley can carry “the key independent and moderate voters that Trump has no chance to win.”
Billionaire mogul brothers Charles and the late David Koch, motivated by their right-wing libertarian beliefs, for years poured millions into boosting Republican candidates through a network of nonprofits and political committees.
But earlier this year, the Koch network pledged $70 million to an effort to block Trump from the nomination.
As the report noted, Americans for Prosperity Action, "Has been among the country’s largest spenders on anti-Trump material this year, buying online ads and sending mailers to voters in several states, including Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
"All told, the group has spent more than $9 million in independent expenditures opposing Mr. Trump," with one mailer in Iowa showing voters pictures of Trump and President Joe Biden, saying, “You can stop Biden … by letting go of Trump.”
Although the Koch network has gone after Trump, it isn't necessarily opposed to everyone who embraces his ideology. Earlier this year, Americans for Prosperity Action struck up partnerships with Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), both of whom deny the results of the 2020 presidential election.
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