The Koch brothers and their allies have pledged to spend a massive sum of money to influence this year’s midterm elections, at least $500 million, which is why their true, self-serving political motivations merit close scrutiny. After all, their exorbitant political spending is this blog’s entire raison d’être. It turns out it’s also the GOP’s, according to a report from Charlie Cook.

In his discussion of key Senate races this fall, Cook notes that some Republicans’ fundraising and spending efforts are being outpaced by their Democratic counterparts. Yet, political realities don’t necessarily reflect these disparities, precisely because of the Kochs’ exorbitant spending. According to Cook, “GOP strategists have privately said that if it were not for spending by organizations affiliated with the Koch brothers, they might well be in really bad shape.” Out of the mouths of babes!

It’s not just that the Kochs’ largesse is merely backstopping Republicans’ fundraising efforts. The party has become so dependent on the Kochs’ outlays that the policies espoused by key midterm candidates favor the ultra-rich oil billionaires over working families. Take two examples that Cook raises, North Carolina and Iowa. Thom Tillis backed extreme tax cuts benefiting his state’s wealthiest citizens while gutting its education budget, while Koch crony Joni Ernst has said she does not support the existence of the federal minimum wage.

The GOP “might well be in really bad shape” if it weren’t for the Kochs’ spending, but it’s current shape isn’t any better for working families.