Semafor reports VoteVets plans $225,000 ad buy against Sullivan

VoteVets Action Fund, a national veterans' political group, plans to spend $225,000 on a television ad campaign in Alaska against Sen. Dan Sullivan, according to a report from Semafor. The ads target Sullivan's votes against measures meant to limit President Donald Trump's authority to keep U.S. forces in hostilities with Iran. The campaign comes less than two weeks before Alaska's Aug. 18 open primary. VoteVets has not published its own announcement of the Alaska buy, and the spending has not been independently verified.

Sullivan has voted against such measures repeatedly this summer. On June 23, the Senate approved H.Con.Res. 86, directing the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran, on a 50-48 vote. Sullivan voted no. Sen. Lisa Murkowski voted yes. The next day, a motion to proceed to S.J.Res. 185 failed 47-50, with the same split. On July 23, a motion to discharge S.J.Res. 180 failed 47-49, leaving the resolution in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sullivan voted no. Murkowski did not vote.

VoteVets has made similar buys elsewhere. In April, the group announced a $250,000 campaign against Rep. Derrick Van Orden, saying it was urging constituents to demand a no vote on the war supplemental.

Sullivan's campaign has not publicly responded to the reported ad buy or to the votes it targets.

Alaska's open primary is set for Aug. 18. The Cook Political Report rates the Sullivan-Peltola race a toss-up.