There are now 8 super PACs supporting Ted Cruz’s 2016 run
A new super PAC supporting Ted Cruz has emerged, bringing the total number to eight.
The group, Stand ForTruth, Inc. (yes, ForTruth is one word), is located in Lexington, Ky., and filed its organizing papers on Nov. 18. Its treasurer is D. Eric Lycan, who appears to be a member of the Republican National Lawyers Association and the treasurer of Kentucky Rise PAC, a federal committee that doled out more than $130,000 to conservative causes in the 2014 cycle.
On Dec. 8–9, Stand ForTruth spent $234,594 on digital and radio ads. The digital ads were produced by Digital Freedom, LLC, which lists its address as a P.O. box in D.C. A search of Virginia business entity records brings up a “Digital Freedom LLC” located in Warrenton, Va., registered on Nov. 23, 2015. Its registered agent is North Rock Reports, LLC, which this 2012 Boston Globe piece describes as “a Warrenton, Va.-based FEC compliance consultant to GOP candidates and causes.” The radio ads were produced by SRCP Media, Inc.; its extensive list of clients includes Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, and the Koch Bros.-affiliated Americans for Prosperity.
Stand ForTruth is the eighth pro-Cruz super PAC we’ve identified. Of these, Keep the Promise I has made the most independent expenditures, spending $1.4 million to date out of $11 million raised as of June, primarily from hedge fund manager and conservative megadonor Robert Mercer. Keep the Promise PAC (different from Keep the Promise 1) has made only $38,087 in independent expenditures. Keep the Promise II, funded so far by a single $10 million contribution from businessman Toby Neugebauer, hasn’t spent anything so far. Keep the Promise III, funded through a $15 million contribution from the Wilks family, has spent only $56,746 of that money on independent expenditures. Courageous Conservatives has spent $59,745 on independent expenditures, including ads hitting Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio.
Take Back DC Action and Stand For Principle haven’t spent a dime on independent expenditures supporting Cruz. We’ll be keeping an eye on our Real-Time Influence Explorer to see if they do.