Mission vs. money
Club for Growth Action
“The Club for Growth is focused on conservative economic policy and does not take positions on social issues or on the immigration/borders debate.”
2026 outside spending
$19M
Club for Growth Action
Spent attacking
58.7%
$11M reported as opposing a candidate
Spent in primaries
3.8%
of money aimed at named candidates
Ads that mention the cause
42%
8 of 24 coded Google ads, weighted by views (4 unclear, left out)
Where the money went
- Adam HamiltonKS-SEN✗ Against$2.5M
- Rick EdmondsLA-06✗ Against$1.8M
- Bill HillAK-00✗ Against$1.5M
- Dan J. SullivanAK-SEN✓ For$1.5M
- Blake MiguezLA-06✓ For$1.2M
- Nick Begich IIIAK-00✓ For$1.1M
- Jonathan NezAZ-02✗ Against$818K
- Alex MealerTX-09✓ For$797K
What the ads were about
- Taxes29.1%
- Calls him a failed pastor14.5%
- Trump endorsement10.5%
- Calls him anti-police socialist6.3%
- Crime5.8%
- Energy5.2%
- Trump loyalty4.5%
- Candidate introduction4.1%
The ads
✗ Attack: Marcy Kaptur✓ Mentions the causeTaxes
On screen: “Marcy Kaptur higher taxes on Social Security benefits”
video ad · 2026-09-06 to 2026-10-01 · 3,500,000+ views · $135K–$155K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Adam HamiltonNo mention of the causeCalls him a failed pastor
On screen: “Adam Hamilton failed his flock”
video ad · 2026-10-16 to 2026-10-23 · 3,350,000+ views · $177K–$203K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Rick Edmonds✓ Mentions the causeTaxes
On screen: “Rick Edmonds higher taxes”
video ad · 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-23 · 1,750,000+ views · $95K–$110K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: William Lawrence✓ Mentions the causeCalls him anti-police socialist
On screen: “That's William Lawrence cop-hating socialist”
video ad · 2026-09-06 to 2026-10-01 · 1,450,000+ views · $75K–$95K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
Not coded yetvideo ad · 2026-10-28 to 2026-11-03 · 1,150,000+ views · $35K–$42K on Google
✓ Not an attackNo mention of the causeTrump loyalty
On screen: “MAGA warrior Jim Kingston”
video ad · 2026-04-27 to 2026-05-19 · 1,050,000+ views · $39K–$44K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ AttackUnclear: may relate to the causeEnergy
On screen: “Gut Texas energy”
video ad · 2026-10-13 to 2026-11-03 · 1,050,000+ views · $55K–$70K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✓ Not an attackNo mention of the causeTrump endorsement
On screen: “President Trump endorsed Clay Fuller”
video ad · 2026-02-17 to 2026-03-10 · 950,000+ views · $9K–$10K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✓ Not an attackNo mention of the causeCandidate introduction
On screen: “Blake Miguez”
video ad · 2026-10-24 to 2026-11-04 · 950,000+ views · $35K–$45K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Bill HillUnclear: may relate to the causeHis record
On screen: “Bill Hill opposed”
video ad · 2026-09-16 to 2026-10-01 · 900,000+ views · $40K–$45K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✓ Not an attackNo mention of the causeWorks for Louisiana
On screen: “Blake Miguez works for Louisiana”
video ad · 2026-10-24 to 2026-11-04 · 900,000+ views · $30K–$40K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Jonathan NezNo mention of the causeCrime
On screen: “Jonathan Nez asked to commute killer's sentence”
video ad · 2026-10-20 to 2026-11-03 · 825,000+ views · $41K–$48K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Rick EdmondsUnclear: may relate to the causeMoney to 'woke corporations'
On screen: “Slick Rick Edmonds sent our money to woke corporations”
video ad · 2026-10-22 to 2026-11-03 · 750,000+ views · $40K–$50K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Bill Hill✓ Mentions the causeTaxes
On screen: “Bill Hill opposed tax relief for seniors”
video ad · 2026-09-14 to 2026-10-01 · 700,000+ views · $35K–$40K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
Not coded yetvideo ad · 2026-10-27 to 2026-11-03 · 625,000+ views · $22K–$28K on Google
✗ Attack: Kathy CastorNo mention of the causeStock trading
On screen: “Kathy Castor over 200 stock trades worth up to $2.6 million”
video ad · 2026-09-10 to 2026-09-25 · 600,000+ views · $35K–$45K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ AttackNo mention of the causeCrime
On screen: “"Arlander Givens was convicted of first-degree murder"”
video ad · 2026-10-27 to 2026-11-03 · 525,000+ views · $22K–$28K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
Not coded yetvideo ad · 2026-10-16 to 2026-11-03 · 500,000+ views · $35K–$45K on Google
✓ Not an attackNo mention of the causeTrump endorsement
On screen: “Clay Fuller Trump's "complete and total endorsement"”
video ad · 2026-02-17 to 2026-03-10 · 450,000+ views · $5K–$6K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✓ Not an attackNo mention of the causeTrump endorsement
On screen: “Jackson Lahmeyer”
video ad · 2026-06-04 to 2026-06-16 · 450,000+ views · $15K–$20K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Leela GrayNo mention of the causePolice
On screen: “Leela Gray endorsed by defund the police radicals”
video ad · 2026-10-27 to 2026-11-03 · 400,000+ views · $15K–$20K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Rick Edmonds✓ Mentions the causeTaxes
On screen: “Rick Edmonds voted to hike Louisiana sales tax”
video ad · 2026-09-24 to 2026-10-01 · 350,000+ views · $15K–$20K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Casey AskarNo mention of the causeLawsuit against Byron Donalds
On screen: “Askar sued Byron Donalds”
video ad · 2026-08-13 to 2026-08-18 · 350,000+ views · $15K–$20K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✓ Not an attackNo mention of the causeTrump endorsement
On screen: “Trump-endorsed Catalina Lauf for Congress”
video ad · 2026-08-15 to 2026-08-18 · 350,000+ views · $14K–$20K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✓ Not an attack✓ Mentions the causeEconomy
On screen: “David Flippo grow our economy”
video ad · 2026-06-03 to 2026-06-09 · 300,000+ views · $10K–$15K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Casey AskarNo mention of the causeCalls him a sore loser
On screen: “Sore Askar los[er]”
video ad · 2026-08-13 to 2026-08-18 · 275,000+ views · $11K–$12K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Marcy Kaptur✓ Mentions the causeTaxes
On screen: “Marcy Kaptur raised taxes since Reagan”
video ad · 2026-09-06 to 2026-09-24 · 250,000+ views · $15K–$17K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✓ Not an attackNo mention of the causeTrump endorsement
On screen: “"Complete and total endorsement"”
video ad · 2026-06-04 to 2026-06-10 · 225,000+ views · $5K–$5K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Rick Edmonds✓ Mentions the causeTaxes
On screen: “Rick Edmonds voted to hike Louisiana sales tax”
video ad · 2026-09-24 to 2026-10-01 · 200,000+ views · $9K–$10K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Bill HillNo mention of the causeTies to national Democrats
On screen: “Bill Hill wrong for Alaska”
video ad · 2026-10-15 to 2026-11-03 · 175,000+ views · $15K–$20K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
✗ Attack: Bill HillUnclear: may relate to the causeEnergy
On screen: “Bill Hill knee-cap energy production”
video ad · 2026-10-15 to 2026-11-03 · 150,000+ views · $10K–$15K on Google · Read from the video's cover frame only
Method
How we score it
The mission is quoted word for word from the group's own website, or from its founder or a fact-checker quoting it where the group publishes none. Each quote links to its source and the date we checked it.
Attack share (money) is the share of the group's 2026 independent expenditures that it reported to the FEC as opposing a candidate, through 10/14/2026. Every super PAC files each expenditure as support or oppose, so this needs no judgment from us.
The ads are the group's political ads in Google's public ad library (YouTube, Search and display) first shown since 2025-01-01. We code each one on two questions only: does it attack a named candidate, and does it mention the issue in the group's own mission (any of a fixed list of words for that issue, shown on each group's page). Shares are weighted by Google's minimum reported views. A video is coded from its cover frame and title, which can miss words spoken later in the ad, so each tile says what it was read from and links to the full ad.
What we don't do. We don't combine these into a single score, and we don't label any ad hateful or divisive. Attacking a candidate is legal and common; a group can attack a candidate for reasons that serve its mission. The numbers show how far the advertising strays from the stated cause, and the ads are here so you can judge them yourself. Google's library misses TV and radio, where most super PAC money goes.
See the full FEC record on the Club for Growth Action page.