Terri Lynn Land’s campaign has been floundering as of late. Republican pollster Frank Luntz recently called her “Really?” campaign ad – also known as Land’s desperate attempt to whitewash her abysmal record on women’s issues – the worst spot of the cycle. According to Public Polling Policy, “Land has seen her favorability numbers drop precipitously as the campaign has unfolded.” She has religiously avoided taking positions on key issues (except when she’s been forced to). And she created an infamous mess at the Macinack Conference, stumbling through a few answers from press before declaring, “I can’t do this.”
But luckily, Land has at least two supporters who aren’t going anywhere–Charles and David Koch. The Kochs’ Americans For Prosperity has already poured more than $4 million into her Senate race, and now, Land has been endorsed by the Koch-funded NFIB. In typical Terri-style, Land doesn’t want to answer questions about her ties to the secretive billionaire brothers whose self-serving agenda is an attack on working families. So when asked about it this morning, she just smiled and walked away. Literally.
Check it out.
Background:
Detroit News: As of July 2, Americans for Prosperity Had Spent $4.34 Million On Michigan Senate Race, Most of Any Outside Group in Michigan for Either Gubernatorial or Senate Race; According to The Detroit News: “Americans for Prosperity, a conservative group funded in part by billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch, has spent the most of any single group, pouring $4.34 million into a campaign aimed at criticizing Peters’ support for President Barack Obama’s health care law.” [The Detroit News, 7/2/14]
Detroit News: “The Group Doesn’t Plan To Let Up On Peters, AFP State Director Scott Hagerstrom Said Tuesday.” According to The Detroit News: “The group doesn’t plan to let up on Peters, AFP state director Scott Hagerstrom said Tuesday.” [The Detroit News, 7/2/14]
CNN Headline: “Koch Bros.-Backed Group Gave Millions To Small Business Lobby” [CNN, 11/21/13]
CNN: “The Champions Of Main Street America Got More Money Last Year From A Group Backed By Billionaire Industrialists Charles And David Koch Than Any Other Single Source.” According to CNN: The National Federation of Independent Business is one of the most influential small-business advocacy groups in the country. They battle against government regulation, higher taxes and, perhaps most famously, Obamacare. And they do it all as the self-described ‘voice of small business.’ But it turns out that the champions of Main Street America got more money last year from a group backed by billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch than any other single source.” [CNN, 11/21/13]
CNN: NFIB and Affiliated Groups Received $2.5 Million from Freedom Partners. According to CNN: “NFIB and its affiliated groups received $2.5 million from Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, a conservative advocacy group with deep ties to the Koch empire. Of the five men that sit on the group’s board, four are current or former employees of Koch companies and one is a friend of Charles Koch’s. Freedom Partners gave the NFIB $1.5 million last year, the biggest single contribution the federation received, according to tax records. The Koch-backed group gave three other NFIB-affiliated group another $1 million, making Freedom Partners among the top two biggest contributors to those groups, records show.” [CNN, 11/21/13]
Government Watchdog Public Citizen: “The Idea That Koch Brothers Money In Some Way Is Going To Help Small Businesses Is Laughable. What They’re Buying Is The Ability To Help Set The Agenda.” According to CNN: The big-money donations are raising questions about whose agenda NFIB is serving, that of mom-and-pop businesses or the captains of big industry. Lisa Gilbert of the government watchdog group Public Citizen said the NFIB is “taking the name of small business in vain.’ ‘The idea that Koch brothers money in some way is going to help small businesses is laughable,” Gilbert said. “What they’re buying is the ability to help set the agenda.’” [CNN, 11/21/13]