Conservatives funded efforts to undercut Sherrod Brown with Black voters in Ohio, filing shows
Republican-Backed Group Targets Sherrod Brown’s Support Among Black Ohio Voters
Goldlaner.com – An outside political organization that has spent millions of dollars elevating an independent socialist candidate in Ohio’s closely watched Senate contest has disclosed Republican funding behind its effort. The group, Enough Promises Ohio, has directed advertising and mail toward Democratic former Sen. Sherrod Brown while presenting independent candidate Greg Levy as an alternative for progressive and Black voters.
A campaign finance filing made public Thursday, shortly before the pre-election reporting deadline, showed that Enough Promises Ohio received $2.5 million from Conservative Americans PAC between October 1 and October 14. The Republican super PAC was the organization’s sole donor during that period.
Enough Promises Ohio has spent at least $2 million on advertisements, mail pieces and other messaging during the race. Its campaign attempts to weaken Brown’s standing with voters who may otherwise support the Democrat, particularly Black Ohioans, while encouraging support for Levy, a little-known candidate who identifies as a socialist.
Advertising Focuses on Levy as a Progressive Alternative
One digital advertisement from Enough Promises Ohio accuses Brown of having “sold us out” and describes Levy as the “real progressive.” A mailer featuring Levy, who is Black, carries a prominent appeal on its front:
“END THE WAR ON BLACK AMERICA”
The reverse side shows Brown alongside the allegation:
“SHERROD BROWN BUILT THE SYSTEM TO LOCK US UP.”
The messaging reflects the increasingly aggressive role that independent expenditure groups can play in high-stakes contests. Super PACs may raise and spend unlimited sums, but federal law prohibits them from coordinating their activity with candidates or campaign committees.
Levy’s campaign has rejected any connection to Enough Promises Ohio. Earlier this month, the campaign said it had “no ties” to the organization and criticized what it called an effort to mislead voters.
Jon Husted’s campaign has also denied involvement. Amy Natoce, a spokesperson for the Republican senator’s campaign, said in an email that Husted’s operation “had no involvement” with Enough Promises Ohio.
A Competitive Fight for an Ohio Senate Seat
The spending comes as Brown seeks to unseat GOP Sen. Jon Husted in a Senate race viewed as one of the nation’s most competitive. Outside groups often concentrate on close races because even a relatively small shift in turnout or vote share can affect the final outcome.
Conservative Americans PAC had already drawn attention earlier in the election cycle for its work in Democratic House primaries. The group publicly took responsibility for efforts designed to lift Democratic candidates it believed could be easier Republican opponents in general-election contests. Its financial support for Enough Promises Ohio places it in another attempt to influence the candidate choices available to voters.
The arrangement also illustrates a common strategic tension in modern elections: a group may promote a candidate without sharing that candidate’s ideology or electoral goals. Levy’s campaign has distanced itself from the spending, while the Republican-aligned donor behind Enough Promises Ohio has funded messaging that casts Levy as a progressive option against Brown.
Brown Campaign Responds
Brown’s campaign argued that Ohio voters would see through the effort and sought to connect Husted to broader Republican positions. Lauren Chou, a spokesperson for Brown, said voters would “hold Jon Husted accountable” for repeatedly voting against limits on President Donald Trump’s Iran war powers, among other issues.
The dispute underscores how outside spending can reshape the tone of a race even when the campaigns themselves deny involvement. Voters may encounter mailers, online ads and other communications that appear to speak directly to a community’s concerns, yet those materials can be financed by organizations whose broader political interests differ from the candidate they promote.
Another outside organization, Buckeye Freedom PAC, has spent more heavily than Enough Promises Ohio in efforts aimed at Husted while promoting Libertarian candidate Bill Redpath. Unlike Enough Promises Ohio, Buckeye Freedom PAC had not disclosed its donors at the time of the latest filings.
With disclosure deadlines approaching and campaigns competing for attention, the identities of donors can provide important context for political advertising. In Ohio, the newly revealed funding behind Enough Promises Ohio adds another dimension to an already hard-fought Senate race, where candidates, independent groups and voters are navigating a crowded and expensive political landscape.
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