A Democratic veteran political action committee targeted seven vulnerable Republican lawmakers in a series of TV ads on Tuesday, pressuring the lawmakers to vote in favor of sending more aid to Ukraine.
The liberal veteran-focused VoteVets.org Action Fund will roll out the two-week $530,000 ad buy, which is targeting Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Marc Molinaro (R-NY), Brandon Williams (R-NY), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), David Valadao (R-CA), John Duarte (R-CA), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR).
The six ads are identical except for the names of the lawmakers. One of the ads, which airs in California, targets Valadao and Duarte.
“The war criminal dictator is biding his time, waiting, while [member’s name] plays right into his hands,” the narrator says in the ad, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Ukrainians have more than held their own, taking back over half the land Russia seized. But now, [member’s name] is holding Ukraine aid hostage, following orders from Donald Trump. If Ukraine falls, the line between freedom and fascism moves west, and it could be American boots on the ground next. Give Ukraine what they need to win before it’s too late.”
The ads come as lawmakers fight over whether to send more aid to Ukraine amid its war with Russia and as Ukraine’s ammunition supply is running low.
The Senate has already passed a major national security bill, which includes $60 billion in aid for Ukraine. But House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has refused to bring the bill to a floor vote, claiming it does not include strong enough provisions that enforce security on the U.S. southern border.
Some House members have proposed alternative legislation that would force a vote on some funds for Ukraine, but they would need 218 signatures to pass the House. The main one, which would force a vote on the Senate-passed bill, has 191 signatures so far.
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Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) said he expects Johnson to bring legislation on Ukraine aid to the House floor after Congress returns from its two-week recess.
“Speaker Johnson has been very clear that when we come back from recess, his intent is to put a vote on the floor,” Crow said. “I want to believe him. That is the right thing to do. That is what my Republican colleagues said he intends to do.”
