Koch brothers network reveals plan for midterm elections

PALM SPRINGS, California – The Koch Brothers’ network of donors and sponsors gathered this weekend to hear the political and policy group’s strategy for the next two years, which amounts to spending ever more money in more places.

The group of 550 donors, who front a $100,000 annual membership fee, are meeting for the first time since the 2016 election to hear from the leaders of the Koch Brothers Network’s web of groups that are officially known as “The Seminar Network.”

Elected GOP officials have traveled here, too: Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker are among those giving lectures and speaking on panels.

The Seminar Network told donors that its budget for the 2016-18 election cycle will total between $300 million to $400 million, according to spokesman James Davis. The group spent roughly $250 million in the cycle leading up to the November 2016 election.

The game-plan includes redoubling grassroots efforts – a large portion of the money will help build a massive boots-on-the-ground campaign. Grassroots outreach was considered to be a weak area in the 2012 presidential campaign, Davis said. Now, the Network has an organizational presence in 36 states with 1,000 full time employees.

The Koch brothers also intend to funnel money into some states to try to defeat incumbents -- usually Democrats -- who put up roadblocks to the group’s policy goals.

One such target is likely in Wisconsin -- that’s Sen. Tammy Baldwin -- according to Sean Lansing, Chief Operation Officer for Americans for Prosperity, a group under the Seminar Network umbrella.

“I can’t imagine she will vote the way we think she should on health care, taxes, spending, potentially the Supreme Court,” Lansing said. “So there’s going to be ample opportunity to educate people in Wisconsin on her record – which I would say is already pretty terrible.”

The group has yet to make a final decision on which states will see an increase in Network employees and funding, according to Lansing.

In the 2014-2016 cycle, the Network made grassroots and financial contributions to Senate races in Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Pennsylvania, winning every race but Nevada.

Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA), told a packed banquet hall Saturday night that he would not have won reelection had the Koch network not intervened.

Toomey said he and his Democratic opponent Katie McGinty spent a combined $181 million dollars – the most ever in a Senate race.