WASHINGTON–CUNA’s Credit Union Legislative Action Committee (CULAC) is making a $250,000 independent expenditure on advertising to help Rep. Brad Ashford (D-NE) in his re-election effort. Ashford, who is a first-term member of Congress, is in a tight race with Republican Don Bacon for the seat, for which Libertarian Steven Baird is also vying. Bacon is a retired brigadier general who has not previously held office.
CUNA’s Trey Hawkins called Ashford a strong advocate for credit unions.
Independent expenditures represent money spent on advertising aimed at the general public that is not done in coordination with the candidate. The CULAC expenditure is being invested in a heavy rotation of ads in markets in Nebraska’s second district.
Also in Washington:
- Congress is back for its second week of the current session, but how long that session will run remains an unknown. There has been speculation Congress could adjourn as early as this week or next. The big item that remains on the congressional agenda is finalizing the appropriations budget, that is it must fund the government. While shutdowns and threats of shutdowns have been common in recent years, many analysts believe such a move is unlikely this year given the nearness of the national elections.
- Numbers delegations from various states will be Hiking the Hill this week meeting with their representatives and staffs. Among those in Washington are associations representing the Dakotas, Ohio, Connecticut, Rhode Island/Massachusetts/New Hampshire/Delaware, West Virginia, Kentucky and Oregon/Washington.