US Senate Candidate Dan Sullivan has introduced a two-way agreement to limit third party ads in his race. KDLG’s Chase Cavanaugh has more information.
Former Alaska Attorney General and Natural Resources Commissioner Dan Sullivan is the leading Republican Candidate for US Senate. On Tuesday, he announced an agreement to limit third-party political groups in his race, which he believes have too much influence.
"The Alaska Agreement is straightforward. It's a good-faith, common sense approach to address a serious problem. It simply asks third-party special interest groups with unlimited spending capabilities to stay off the air (TV and Radio) in Alaska."
The agreement is based upon the People’s Pledge, a similar promise between Massachusetts candidates Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren. While it does not have a formal enforcement mechanism against third-party groups, Sullivan says it’s designed to make each candidate rely less upon these groups, resorting instead to direct, attributable ads.
"In an instant where a third-party special interest group makes an independent television or radio expenditure after July 4th supporting a candidate or oppposing a candidate's opponent, that candidate's campaign will contribute the equivalent of 50% of the adbuy to a charity of the opposing candidate's choice."
Sullivan characterizes these ads as a disproportionate way for outside groups to influence Alaskan politics, as well as taking up airtime that could otherwise be used in different Alaska races. Having signed the agreement already, Sullivan is now pressuring his opponent, Mark Begich, to do the same.
"In speeches, in press releases, in interviews, in fundraising appeals over the past year, Mark has decried third-party on no fewer than a hundred occasions. But talk is cheap. My career has been about taking real actions to get things done to benefit all Alaskans. Today we have an opportunity to take that kind of bold action for Alaskans. It's worked before, it can work again. All it takes in Mark Begich's signature, and I hope he will join me in standing up for the voters and our citizens in Alaska."
More information on Sullivan’s Alaska Agreement can be found at the candidate’s website.