Politics
Ohio Senate spoiler spending tops $1.58 million as Republican-linked PAC promotes Greg Levy
Enough Promises Ohio has spent more than $1.5 million supporting socialist candidate Greg Levy and attacking Democrat Sherrod Brown in Ohio’s close Senate contest. Levy says he and his campaign condemn the effort, while the Husted campaign says it had no involvement with the PAC.
A super PAC with ties to Republican political operatives has spent $1.58 million to promote third-party Senate candidate Greg Levy and oppose Democrat Sherrod Brown in Ohio, according to recent federal campaign finance filings.
The spending by Enough Promises Ohio, formed last month, has accelerated in the final stretch of a closely watched race between Brown, a former senator, and Republican Sen. Jon Husted. Public polling has shown the two major-party candidates in a dead heat. Levy, who is running for the Party for Socialism and Liberation, was polling at about 5 percent in a cited survey.
The group reported $828,359 for mailers supporting Levy or opposing Brown. It also spent about $753,000 over the weekend on advertising with the same aims, including a Google video ad that accuses Brown of having “sold us out” and describes Levy as a “real progressive.” The combined spending is about $1.58 million.
The PAC’s activity has drawn scrutiny because Levy could attract some progressive voters who might otherwise support Brown. The effort comes amid other recent campaigns in which major-party operatives have sought to elevate third-party candidates in competitive races. There is no evidence in the filings cited that Husted’s campaign directed the PAC’s spending.
Campaign finance records show Enough Promises Ohio used a printing company linked to Whistletop Strategies, a Republican political firm. Whistletop has worked with an affiliate of the Trump-aligned MAGA Inc. super PAC, and its corporate records list Big Dog Strategies as a director. Big Dog Strategies worked on Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno’s 2024 campaign and consults for the Ohio GOP.
Enough Promises Ohio and Big Dog Strategies did not respond to requests for comment. Husted campaign spokesperson Amy Natoce said the campaign “had no involvement with the group” and had no further comment.
Levy has rejected the PAC’s intervention, calling its effort to boost him an “attempted deception of voters” and “a form of digital blackface.” His spokesperson, Charlie Koenigsmark, said the campaign “completely condemn[s] this attempt to manipulate voters.” Brown did not respond to a request for comment.