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Daily Signal: Americans for Prosperity Action Endorses Husted

Matthias on March 16, 2026

Rebecca Downs | 3/16/26

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Sen. Jon Husted is landing an endorsement from Americans for Prosperity Action in what is set to become its largest grassroots effort campaign.

As Donovan O’Neil, a senior adviser to AFP Action, explained to The Daily Signal, the support for the Ohio Republican will involve a “robust” campaign from digital ads to canvassing.

It will also include a data focus, identifying 2 million voters for AFP Action to engage. O’Neil said this bloc of voters can be the “change maker” in the election.

Former Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, is looking to make a comeback after losing to Republican now-Sen. Bernie Moreno in 2024.

AFP Action will immediately commence canvassing efforts across Ohio’s 88 counties.

As the secretary of state in 2017, Husted received the inaugural Taxpayers’ Torch Award from Americans for Prosperity’s Ohio chapter.

O’Neil applauded Husted’s efforts in the Senate on family tax cuts and on a principled balanced budget amendment. “Good government is the through line for Husted,” O’Neil shared, calling him “the future.”

Brown has attacked Husted on economic issues in recent weeks, saying the senator “would rather fight for billionaires” and calling attention to rising health care prices for Ohioans. 

“I’m in this for the Ohioans picking up odd jobs after work to help pay the rent. I’m in this for the parents putting $10 in the tank at a time just to make it to payday,” Brown said on X.

O’Neil recalled “consistently hearing at the doors in 2024” of concerns about the economy and inflation, a lack of reinvestment in Ohio, and border security.

Ohio has been a bellwether in past elections, and the state still carries significance in 2026. O’Neil acknowledged that Ohio “is a red state,” but that one “shouldn’t take Ohio voters for granted.”

“The final two years of [President Donald] Trump’s term will be highly impacted by how Ohio votes this November,” O’Neil said.

The Cook Political Report considers this Senate race as “Lean Republican.” The Ohio 2024 Senate race was reportedly the most expensive in the country, and this year’s race could follow that pattern.

AFP Action Launches Statewide Grassroots Efforts Supporting U.S. Senator Jon Husted

Matthias on March 16, 2026

COLUMBUS, OH – As reported in The Daily Signal today, Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) today endorsed Senator Jon Husted (R-OH) for election and began statewide grassroots efforts across Ohio that will be the largest voter engagement effort in AFP Action’s history.

AFP Action will target 1.5 million households across Ohio representing 2 million voters with door-to-door outreach in support of Sen. Husted from today through election day. This groundwork will communicate Husted’s outstanding record from his first year in office, reinforcing AFP Action’s targeted strategy to turn out the right voters and elect him for a full term in the U.S. Senate.

Donovan O’Neil, AFP Action senior advisor, issued the following statement:

“At a time when many Ohioans are struggling with rising living costs, AFP Action is proud to announce its endorsement of Senator Jon Husted for election. Husted has championed transformative tax reform and responsible spending throughout his entire career, from the Ohio state House to the U.S. Senate, where he drove support for President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cut. 

“This year’s election presents a critical opportunity for Ohioans to protect the Republican majority in the Senate and prevent Sherrod Brown from returning to push his Washington first, Ohio second economic policies. Husted is the clear choice for Ohioans concerned about lingering inflation and reigning in federal spending.

“Husted will have the support of AFP Action’s vast network of grassroots activists across the state, who will work non-stop until November to ensure he continues to represent hardworking Ohioans in Washington and that Sherrod Brown stays in retirement.”

Politico: AFP Action posts 7-figure ad buy in support of Michael Whatley

Matthias on February 12, 2026

Politico
Alec Hernandez | 2/12/26

Americans for Prosperity Action, the political arm of the powerful conservative Koch network, has placed a 7-figure ad buy for former RNC Chair Michael Whatley’s Senate campaign in North Carolina, banking an early investment in a must-win seat for the GOP in what’s expected to be one of the most expensive races in the country.

The total spend in the Tarheel State will amount to over $1 million and will run on cable, marking the organization’s first TV ad buy of the 2026 midterms cycle. The 30-second spot, shared first with POLITICO, hits on perennial Koch priorities, casting Whatley as the candidate who will “stop wasteful spending, drive down prices and cut taxes.” The package of ads will also run on internet connected TV services and Meta platforms.

Sen. Thom Tillis’ (R-N.C.) retirement announcement last year following a barrage of attacks from President Donald Trump opened a top-priority race for both parties in the swing state. Democrats haven’t won a Senate race or carried the state at the presidential level since 2008 — but Democrats have been inching closer to cinching a statewide federal win in past cycles after posting two consecutive Democrats to the governor’s mansion and maintaining a longtime hold on the attorney general’s office in Raleigh.

Whatley, the Trump-endorsed front-runner in the GOP primary, raised $3.8 million in 2025’s final FEC filing period, which amounted to about half of the $7 million haul posted by former Gov. Roy Cooper, his likely Democratic challenger. AFP Action’s support will likely amount to just a drop in the bucket, though, as operatives in both parties have estimated that spending in the race could reach $650 million by Election Day.

The ad campaign is coupled with a grassroots door-knocking effort helmed by AFP Action, which began in North Carolina earlier this year. Whatley is set to join one of those outreach efforts himself in the Charlotte area later this month.

The significant spend in North Carolina comes as the group has made similar, albeit smaller, 6-figure digital investments in the open Senate races in Michigan and New Hampshire for Mike Rogers and John Sununu, respectively — a sign of where they might invest more down the line.

NH Union Leader: AFP Action runs first pro-Sununu ads

Matthias on February 6, 2026

New Hampshire Union Leader
Kevin Landrigan | 2/2/26

Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown said he remained committed to winning a U.S. Senate GOP primary this fall despite President Donald Trump endorsing primary rival John E. Sununu over the weekend.

“I’ve always believed that the people of New Hampshire are the ultimate authority on our future, and they deserve a choice between candidates seeking to earn their support,” Brown said in a statement he posted after Trump’s own social media declaration.

Right after Trump said he’s backing Sununu, the Senate Leadership Fund led by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, said, “President Trump’s critical endorsement has put an end to the primary”.

Brown remains convinced he’ll win this battle of two former U.S. senators, John E. Sununu representing New Hampshire from 2003-09, and Brown serving as senator in Massachusetts from 2010-13.

“I am running to ensure our America First agenda is led by someone who views this mission not as a career path, but as a continuation of a lifelong commitment to service,” Brown said in a statement Sunday. “My priorities for New Hampshire remain clear: a stronger economy, a secure border, reliable and affordable energy and better health care for our veterans. This mission has always been about you, not me. Let’s keep working!”.

The race to replacing retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., is a top priority for national Republicans seeking to expand their Senate majority. John E. Sununu beat Shaheen to win a Senate seat in 2002 and lost to her six years later. Brown was the GOP nominee running against Shaheen when she won her second term in 2014.

Trump has gotten over Sununu snubs

Trump had called Sununu an “America First Patriot” and apparently has gotten over their rocky relations that included Sununu calling Trump “a loser” and endorsing 2024 primary rival Nikki Haley over Trump prior to the presidential primary here. Back in 2016, John E. Sununu had a national role in the rival presidential campaign of former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who finished second to Trump in that New Hampshire primary contest.

“John E. Sununu has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN — ELECT JOHN E. SUNUNU,” Trump emphasized, in a post on social media.

The move by Trump came two weeks after Sununu confirmed he had raised $1.7 million since getting into this race last October, more than twice what Brown collected over the same period.

“I want to thank the President for his support and thank the thousands of Granite Staters who are supporting me,” Sununu said in his own statement. Both Brown and Sununu continue to trail four-term U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., the frontrunning Democratic candidate who raised $2.4 million during the last quarter. Karishma Manzur, a medical scientist from Exeter, and Rep. Jared Sullivan of Bethlehem are also seeking the Democratic primary nomination.

Americans for Prosperity Action, the political committee for the fiscally conservative interest group which endorsed Sununu, announced it would begin airing its first digital ads in support of their candidate tomorrow morning on digital and streaming platforms.

“New Hampshire face a pivotal moment that will reshape the state’s future. As Granite State families are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living, Sununu offers steady leadership and will advance meaningful reforms to rein in federal spending, strengthen New Hampshire’s economy, and drive down prices so that all Granite State families can prosper,” AFP Action said in a statement.

The 30– and 15-second spots will run through the end of this month, AFP officials said.

The ads highlight Sununu’s platform to work on lowering costs, cutting regulations and stopping federal tax hikes.

“He’s delivered for New Hampshire families before and he’ll deliver again in the Senate. Elect John Sununu,” the ad concludes.

According to the latest independent polling, Pappas leads Sununu by a small margin in a head-to-head matchup and by a larger margin over Brown.