Koch network super-PAC launches first ad buy in Indiana

A top Koch network group is launching a seven-figure ad buy in the Indiana Senate race, targeting Democrat Evan Bayh for his votes for the Wall Street bailout.

{mosads}Freedom Partners Action Fund, a super-PAC that spearheads the conservative donor network helmed by billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch, will release a $1 million TV and digital ad buy needling the former Democratic senator’s vote in 2008 and for taking a job when he left office with a bank that profited from bailout funds.

The ad goes on to tout Bayh’s Republican opponent, Rep. Todd Young, arguing that he’ll put Indiana “ahead of special interests.”

It’s the first ad buy in the Hoosier State for the super-PAC, which will start running on Wednesday and will last for about two weeks.

Bayh’s campaign manager, Paul Tencher, pushed back on the ad in a statement.

“Congressman Young and the Koch Brothers have called Social Secuity a ‘Ponzi scheme’ and the ‘ultimate pyramid scheme,'” Tencher said. “Their plans would put more than 800,000 Hoosier seniors at risk by ripping away their earned retirement benefits so that Wall Street can make millions.

“There is only one candidate in this race that has stood up for seniors and middle class Hoosiers and that is Evan Bayh.”

The race between Bayh and Young has been upgraded to a toss-up by several nonpartisan election handicappers since Bayh made a surprising, last-minute entry into the race earlier this month.

Bayh enters the race with a huge war chest of $9 million and has already launched a TV ad.

Democrats rejoiced his entrance back into politics and only need to net five seats — or four and retain the White House — to regain control of the Senate. The party only needs to defend 10 seats, while Republicans will need to defend 24.