WASHINGTON – CUNA reported additional independent campaign expenses Friday on behalf of two House candidates in the Midwest, campaign efforts begun the prior week without the knowledge of either the candidates.
CUNA, which began TV and radio ads on behalf of Lynn Jenkins, reported it paid another $66,883 for more air space to promote the Republican state Treasurer and former state Rep., running for the second district House seat in Kansas.
CUNA also reported spending another $17,130 for more TV and radio air, as well as $42,656 for direct mail pieces, on behalf of Democratic state Rep. Judith Baker, who is running for the state’s ninth district House seat.
In the last two weeks CUNA has spent $222,682 on independent expenditures to boost the two House candidates.
CUNA has had mixed result with such independent campaign expenditures before.
A $135,000 initiative last June on behalf of Iraq war veteran Adam Cote riled opponents and some voters in the Maine Democratic primary, which Cote eventually lost.
But $250,000 CUNA spent in 2005 on behalf of Sen. Joseph Lieberman in the Democratic primary helped cement its relationship with the Connecticut senator, who ended up losing the primary but winning a third term when he ran as an independent in the general election. Lieberman later introduced the Senate version of the CU Regulatory Improvements Act, known as CURIA.
