ICYMI: Florida Politics Details CLF’s GOTV Efforts In Florida

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, Florida Politics reported on Congressional Leadership Fund’s (CLF) get-out-the-vote efforts in Florida ahead of Election Day. The story details CLF’s data-driven ground game that has been in effect since summer 2017 and its aggressive ad campaign in Florida. Excerpts below.

GOP group touts GOTV efforts ahead of election
Florida Politics
Ryan Nicol
10/31/18

The Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) is doing its best to stop any ‘blue wave’ on Election Day.

CLF is one of several Republican groups aimed at protecting the GOP majority in the U.S. House.

While some analysts peg Democrats as the favorites to take over the House in next week’s elections, CLF’s money and on-the-ground efforts show the group has other plans.

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That reality necessitated the CLF to dedicate serious resources across the country to stave off history.

“So we made an aggressive goal in the beginning of the cycle to raise and spend over $100 million,” Alexander said.

And Alexander says CLF surpassed that goal, raising and spending more than $150 million nationwide. Of that money, just over $5 million was poured into Florida.

According to numbers reviewed by Florida Politics, about $1.9 million was spent by the group in the race between Republican state Rep. Ross Spano and Democratic challenger Kristen Carlson in Florida’s 15th Congressional District.

Another $2.9 million was poured into Florida’s 26th, where Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo is attempting to hold off Democratic candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.

CLF also added $275,000 to help Republican Maria Elvira Salazar defeat Democratic nominee Donna Shalala in Florida’s 27th Congressional District.

But Alexander notes the group did more than just dump in money. CLF also committed resources to on-the-ground efforts to help motivate Republicans to turn out in an off-year election.

“We opened field offices in (CD) 18 and (CD) 26 in the summer of 2017,” Alexander noted.

“And I think that is critically important that we were there, we have been there for well over a year out knocking on doors and calling voters in those respective districts.”

CLF’s numbers show about 825,000 voters contacted in CD 18, with more than 1.1 million voters contacted in CD 26.

“We are able to do it effectively because we’ve been there for over a year, because we know how to target these people, because we’ve been talking to these residents for so long about the issues.”

Alexander says the group attempted to highlight U.S. Rep. Brian Mast‘s work on the algae crisis and his opening of a congressional office inside a VA center in Florida’s 18th Congressional District.

For Curbelo, it was all about his (ultimately failed) efforts to pass bipartisan bills on immigration and work to protect the Everglades.

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