Democratic super PAC targets Hawley, Cruz in new ad blitz

Meidas Touch, a Democratic super PAC, is rolling out a new ad blitz next week targeting Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and other Republicans who objected to the 2020 election results as the nation grapples with the fallout of last week’s violent Capitol riots. 

The ad campaign is the result of a six-figure buy that will air on CNN Monday and Tuesday and Fox News Tuesday, according to details shared first with The Hill. It will also air on Missouri and Texas channels statewide on Tuesday. The PAC is also getting the ads up on MSNBC sometime next week. 

The ad states that Hawley, Cruz and others “incited” last week’s mob by objecting to the Electoral College results and urging supporters to fight against the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

The 30-second clips show Cruz telling supporters “we will not go quietly into the night”over a picture of Hawley with his fist in the air.

The ad claims those and other remarks from people like Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), who said the day of the riot “Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass,” are “criminal” and amount to “incitement” and “terrorism.” 

“The white supremacist mob that committed a murderous assault on our Capitol last week wasn’t created out of thin air,” said Brett Meiselas, a Medias Touch founder. “It was aided, abetted, and incited by not only Donald Trump, but his cheerleaders in Congress, including Mo Brooks, Josh Hawley, and Ted Cruz.”

“These traitors who incited the domestic terrorism at our Capitol must be held accountable for their insurrection. We will not stop until they are charged for their criminality and exorcised from public life.”

The ad marks the latest attack on Hawley and Cruz, who led the effort in the Senate to object to the presidential election results in key battleground states. 

Critics of the lawmakers blame them in part for the riot because they have echoed concerns of widespread election fraud.

Last week’s mayhem resulted in the deaths of five people, including a Capitol Police officer and a rioter who was shot by another officer while trying to breach a window in the building.

Several Democrats have called for the two senators’ resignations, while some Republicans have rebuked them for their objections. 

Rebukes from outside groups have also increased, with a raft of prominent organizations vowing to withhold donations from lawmakers who objected to the results. Simon & Schuster announced last week that it would cancel the publication of Hawley’s upcoming book, and a hotel Saturday announced it was cancelling a fundraiser it was set to host for the Missouri senator. 

Hawley and Cruz have said their objections were made to address concerns from their constituents about election fraud that have been repeated by the president and his allies.

Federal and state election officials have, at various times after the November election, stated that there was no substantial evidence of widespread voter fraud, including former Attorney General Bill Barr.