LINCOLN — Dark money is filling in the TV advertising gap between indicted U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry and his top primary election opponent, State Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk.

Flood’s campaign had spent nearly $240,000 on TV ads by late February, based on purchase agreements with TV stations. The Fortenberry campaign, over the same span, spent nearly $180,000 on TV ads. American Future Fund, an outside group, has deployed $130,000 worth of anti-Flood TV ads and mailers.

Fortenberry's campaign had seen a recent decrease in campaign funds after he was charged with lying to federal investigators, which is a felony. The Fortenberry campaign had raised roughly $100,000 in each of the three quarters of 2021. Fortenberry was indicted in October, leading to just $70,000 from donors in the final quarter of 2021.

American Future Fund is a pass-through organization based in Iowa and Virginia that has been the medium for anonymous donors to funnel money to the Fortenberry campaign. Nebraska's GOP governor primary election was the last time that the group spent this much money when they contributed more than $600,000 to help Beau McCoy and hurt Jon Bruning.

State Sen. Flood's campaign spokesperson criticized Fortenberry's embrace of the dark money, saying "With Fortenberry’s criminal trial looming, a donor hiding their identity is using this rent-a-PAC front group to try to help Fortenberry hold on to his title at the cost of what’s best for Nebraska."

For the full article click HERE