WASHINGTON–The Credit Union Legislative Action Council (CULAC), CUNA’s federal PAC, has launched its final independent expenditure (IE) for the 2018 midterm election cycle.
CUNA said Television ads for Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) will run until Nov. 6 throughout Mississippi. Sen. Hyde-Smith was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Sen. Thad Cochran, who resigned for health reasons, until the next scheduled election. She is now seeking to win the special election to complete the term, which expires in 2021. Under Mississippi law, she will appear on the ballot with three other candidates, with no party affiliation listed, CUNA noted.
CUNA said CULAC, along with state leagues, are using a variety of tactics to promote widespread support for credit union-friendly candidates, including:
- Partisan communications: communications coordinated with candidates and aimed at credit union households
- Independent expenditures: directed at the general public but conducted independently of the candidate, his campaign, the parties or state Leagues and credit unions
CUNA said it is using virtually all forms of media in its political messaging for pro-credit union candidates, including targeted digital ads and social media, television, broadcast and streaming video, digital and terrestrial radio, and direct mail.
According to CUNA, CULAC has supported 375 candidates for the House and Senate on the November 2018 ballot, including 42 open seat candidates and one challenger. CUNA said it and the state leagues are investing a record-breaking $7 million in support of credit union-friendly candidates for the 2018 midterm election cycle.