A political action committee backed by an incumbent U.S. House member has announced its plans to go after one candidate in the U.S. House District 13 Republican runoff.
According to a news release, Future Leaders Fund, a PAC aligned with U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-Helotes), is planning to launch an ad campaign to discredit Dr. Ronny Jackson, one of two candidates in the July 14 Republican runoff for the District 13 seat. According to the release, the organization plans to discredit Jackson to allow former lobbyist Josh Winegarner to build his own favorability among runoff voters in the district. Hurd’s own campaign had previously donated to Winegarner’s campaign ahead of the March 3 primary.
The PAC apparently plans to advertise in the Amarillo and Wichita Falls media markets. The group also is planning an increased digital and mail advertising budget, along with advertising on Fox News.
Future Leaders Fund is also planning to campaign for Tony Gonzales in District 23, who is currently in a runoff for Hurd’s seat against Air Force veteran Raul Reyes.
Hurd launched the Super PAC in November after announcing his departure from the U.S. House. Hurd, long considered to be one of the most moderate Republicans in the House, has had several public clashes with President Trump, including instances of public criticism of Trump. Jackson has been endorsed by Trump for the primary election.
During the most recent reporting period, Future Leaders Fund reported over $384,000 in contributions.
The winner of the July runoff will race Democrat Gus Trujillo and Libertarian Jack B. Westbrook in November.
Note: A previous version of this article included an incorrect spelling of Tony Gonzales’ name. This error has been corrected.