New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's group is launching a $12 million ad campaign aimed at persuading Senators in key states to support gun control measures.
The ads from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which feature a self-described gun owner holding a rifle while sitting in the back of a pickup truck, push for stricter, universal background checks.
"These ads bring the voices of Americans – who overwhelmingly support comprehensive and enforceable background checks – into the discussion to move senators to immediately take action to prevent gun violence," Bloomberg said in a statement released by the group.
Mayors Against Illegal Guns said it is targeting 15 senators in particular, including some Republicans that would seemingly be out of reach.
- Arizona – Senator Jeff Flake (R)
- Arkansas – Senator Mark Pryor (D)
- Georgia – Senator Saxby Chambliss (R) and Senator Johnny Isakson (R)
- Indiana – Senator Joe Donnelly (D) and Senator Dan Coats (R)
- Iowa – Senator Chuck Grassley (R)
- Louisiana – Senator Mary Landrieu (D)
- Maine – Senator Susan Collins (R)
- New Hampshire – Senator Kelly Ayotte (R)
- Nevada – Senator Dean Heller (R)
- North Carolina – Senator Kay Hagan (D)
- North Dakota – Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D)
- Ohio – Senator Rob Portman (R)
- Pennsylvania – Senator Pat Toomey (R)
The $12 million campaign will likely be split between Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Bloomberg's Super PAC, Independence USA. The ads will begin airing Monday, the group said.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said last week that any gun control package brought to the Senate floor must include a universal background check provision, something that Republicans have been reluctant to support but is consistently favored by between 80 and 90 percent of Americans in public opinion polls.
For that reason, Bloomberg said he thinks there will be a "price to pay" for politicians voting against background checks.
"I think I have a responsibility, and I think you and all of your viewers have responsibilities, to try and make this country safer for our families and for each other," Bloomberg said Sunday on "Meet the Press."
"And if I can do that by spending some money and taking the NRA from being the only voice to being one of the voices, so the public can really understand the issues, then I think my money would be well spent. And I think I have an obligation to do that."
Last month, Bloomberg and his PAC spilled more $2 million into ads supporting Illinois state Rep. Robin Kelly in a special Democratic primary for Congress, targeting her opponent's history of NRA support. Kelly's victory was seen as a win for Bloomberg's efforts.
Here are the group's two new ads:
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