Conservatives funded efforts to undercut Sherrod Brown with Black voters in Ohio, filing shows

Republican-Backed Group Targets Sherrod Brown Through Independent Campaign in Ohio Senate Race

Healfromzero.com – A previously undisclosed Republican funding source is behind a political group that has spent millions of dollars promoting an independent socialist candidate while attacking former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio’s closely watched Senate contest.

The group, Enough Promises Ohio, has invested at least $2 million in advertising and direct mail supporting Greg Levy, a little-known independent candidate who identifies as a socialist. Its materials have also sought to weaken Brown’s support among Black voters, a key audience in a race where every coalition could matter.

A campaign finance filing released Thursday, ahead of the pre-election disclosure deadline, identified Conservative Americans PAC as Enough Promises Ohio’s sole donor between October 1 and October 14. The Republican super PAC contributed $2.5 million during that period.

Advertising Focuses on Black Voters and Progressive Credentials

Enough Promises Ohio’s messaging casts Levy as an alternative to Brown for voters looking for a more progressive candidate. One online advertisement declares that Brown “sold us out” and calls Levy the “real progressive.”

A mailer distributed by the group uses particularly pointed language. Its front side carries the message:

END THE WAR ON BLACK AMERICA

The mailer includes photographs of Levy, who is Black. On the reverse, it features Brown alongside the statement:

SHERROD BROWN BUILT THE SYSTEM TO LOCK US UP.

The strategy reflects an increasingly familiar feature of high-stakes campaigns: outside organizations spending heavily to influence which candidates voters view as viable alternatives. Such efforts can shape the political conversation even when the beneficiary has little name recognition or limited campaign resources of their own.

Levy has rejected any suggestion that his campaign is linked to Enough Promises Ohio. Earlier this month, his campaign said it had “has no ties ” to the organization and criticized what it called an effort to deceive voters.

Ohio Contest Draws Major Outside Spending

Brown is seeking to return to the Senate by defeating Republican Sen. Jon Husted. The race is among the nation’s most competitive Senate campaigns, making Ohio a major focus for party committees, super PACs and independent political groups.

Conservative Americans PAC had already drawn attention during the election cycle for its activity in Democratic House primaries. The group acknowledged attempting to boost Democratic candidates it believed would be easier for Republicans to defeat in general elections. Its new involvement in Ohio brings that same broader political tactic into a Senate race with national consequences.

Federal rules prohibit super PACs from coordinating directly with candidate campaigns. That restriction means organizations such as Enough Promises Ohio may spend independently on advertisements, mail and other voter communications, but cannot legally plan those activities with the candidates they support or oppose.

Husted’s campaign has also denied involvement. Spokesperson Amy Natoce said in an email that the campaign “had no involvement” with Enough Promises Ohio.

Brown’s campaign argued that voters would see through the effort. Lauren Chou, a spokesperson for Brown, said Ohio voters would “hold Jon Husted accountable” for his repeated votes against limiting President Donald Trump’s Iran war powers, among other issues.

Independent Candidates Become Part of the Campaign Battlefield

Enough Promises Ohio is not the only outside group trying to elevate a non-major-party candidate in the contest. Buckeye Freedom PAC has spent even more money on advertising aimed at Husted while promoting Libertarian candidate Bill Redpath.

Unlike Enough Promises Ohio, Buckeye Freedom PAC had not yet disclosed its donors. Its spending illustrates how independent and third-party candidacies can become central to the strategy of larger political forces, particularly in races where the Democratic and Republican nominees are expected to compete closely.

For voters, the flood of advertising makes it important to distinguish between a candidate’s own campaign and messages financed by outside entities. Super PAC advertisements can advocate for candidates or attack their opponents, yet they operate separately from the campaign organizations that appear in the ads.

The latest disclosure offers a clearer picture of the financial interests behind Enough Promises Ohio’s campaign. It also underscores the pressure surrounding the Ohio Senate race, where outside spending is being used not only to persuade supporters of the two major-party candidates, but also to encourage voters to consider alternatives on the ideological left and right.

With the election approaching, additional filings may further reveal who is financing the groups shaping the contest. For now, the $2.5 million contribution from Conservative Americans PAC establishes that Republican money is fueling the organization’s effort to promote Levy and challenge Brown’s standing with Black voters.