Conservative-leaning groups to engage get-out-the-vote efforts for Republicans

Though they aren’t actively supporting Donald Trump, conservative-leaning groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Koch political network are readying get-out-the-vote efforts that will aid Republicans — and consequently could boost the GOP’s presidential nominee anyway.

The chamber said it’s positioned to engage “tens of millions of voters” ahead of Election Day, vowing to target “the business community and Main Street voters.”

Meanwhile, billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson is reportedly ready to come off the sidelines and donate $40 million to groups backing House and Senate Republicans, as well as pony up $5 million toward Mr. Trump’s election.

Facing a cash shortfall compared to Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, Mr. Trump could have to rely heavily on outside groups and party committees to fund the get-out-the-vote operation that Republicans said they were lacking in 2012, when President Obama cruised to a re-election victory.

The Chamber has spent more than $23 million during the 2016 cycle thus far, nearly all of it to boost down-ballot Republicans or oppose Democrats. That compares to $36 million the chamber spent in each of the 2012 and 2014 elections, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The business lobbying group is touting a new “Vote for Jobs 2016” website that provides voters with tools to check their registration status and other information can be tailored to meet a company’s specific needs and then shared with employees.

“We are not encouraging businesses to tell their employees for whom to vote, only that their participation in this election is fundamentally important to the health of their companies and to the entire U.S. economy,” Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue wrote in a column this week.

For its part, the network funded by billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch, which regularly pumps money to conservative causes, has avoided the presidential contest but said its money will go to aid down-ballot contests such as the GOP’s battle to retain control of the Senate.

The Koch network plans to curtail television ads early next month and switch to grass-roots engagement.

“Our plan was to reserve the time until October 4th but then shift to where our comparative advantage is, especially heading into the final months where there are other groups that are obviously going to go up on air with heavy investments in October,” a network spokesman said.

The network plans to use data gathered about voters in states with key U.S. Senate races — Florida, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin — to narrow its turnout operations.

Republicans are playing defense in all of those states except Nevada. Overall, they’re defending more than twice as many states as Democrats are as they try to hold on to an effective 54-46 majority. Those states, however, also closely track the presidential battleground, with analysts saying the election could turn on how Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania turn out.

“We’ve identified voters who are uncommitted but remain more persuadable, as well as high affinity and historically reliable voters [who] may have low enthusiasm,” the spokesman said. “Because we’re able to narrow that field down, it makes more sense to focus our resources on direct outreach — phone, doors, direct mail.”

The Koch network raised more $400 million in 2012, and has reportedly set a potential target of close to $900 million for 2016.

The specter of Koch involvement enrages Democrats, who accuse the billionaire brothers of skewing democracy by injecting money. Democrats’ chief Senate committee fired off a fundraising plea to supporters Tuesday asking for help to stop the Koch onslaught.

The Koch network encompasses groups like Americans for Prosperity, Concerned Veterans for America, Generation Opportunity, and the LIBRE Initiative. AFP’s main issues are taxes and government spending, while CVA deals with military issues, Generation Opportunity focuses on engaging young Americans, and the LIBRE Initiative’s focus is on Hispanics.

The network is preparing to consolidate the arms under the banner of AFP heading into 2017, though they will continue to operate as they have been through the election.

Mr. Adelson, a GOP megadonor, is also reportedly coming off the sidelines by giving or pledging $20 million apiece to outside groups supporting House and Senate Republican candidates, as well as $5 million toward pro-Trump efforts.

Mr. Adelson and his wife, Miriam, contributed about $93 million during the 2012 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.