Messenger: American Action Network
Candidate: Mike Coffman
Contest: 6th CD
Affiliation: R
Date delivered: July 6, 2018
Click here for message
Message type: tv ad
Message tone: positive
About the message: This is one of several ads across the nation from American Action Network praising GOP House members for taking action on opioid addiction. The ads feature a mom whose son died as a result of a heroin overdose after he became addicted to prescription pain killers. It suggests that viewers call GOP Rep. Mike Coffman and thank him for "fighting against opioid addiction."
Coffman faces Democrat Jason Crow in the 6th Congressional District general election.
American Action Network is a nonprofit supporting Republican members of Congress. In past years, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America have been one of the group's major funders.
The TV ad buy in Colorado is nearly $313,000, according to contracts filed with the FCC thus far. The ads are scheduled to air throughout July into early August.
About the messenger: American Action Network is a nonprofit that calls itself an "action tank" to support "center-right" political principles. The group is affiliated with House Speaker Paul Ryan. The nonprofit is also a major funder of the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC affiliated with Ryan that has reserved fall airtime to support GOP Rep. Mike Coffman in the 6th Congressional District.
The messenger's money: Because it is a nonprofit, the group does not have to disclose its donors. Some companies or other nonprofits that donate to the group must disclose donations however. For instance, Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America gave $4.5 million in 2010, $1.5 million in 2012 and $125,000 in 2014, according to Open Secrets. The PhRMA group's 2016 990 reveals a contribution of $6,058,825 to American Action Network.
