{"id":820841,"date":"2021-09-27T16:58:36","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T20:58:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=820841"},"modified":"2021-09-27T16:58:40","modified_gmt":"2021-09-27T20:58:40","slug":"democrat-linked-group-pushes-ads-hitting-republican-candidate-for-not-being-endorsed-by-the-nra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrat-linked-group-pushes-ads-hitting-republican-candidate-for-not-being-endorsed-by-the-nra\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrat-Linked Group Pushes Ads Hitting Republican Candidate For Not Being Endorsed By The NRA"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocrat-linked-group-pushes-ads-hitting-republican-candidate-for-not-being-endorsed-by-the-nra%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=820841&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><ul>\n<li><strong>A Democrat-linked consulting firm is running a Facebook Ads campaign taking aim at Virginia gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin because he is not endorsed by the National Rifle Association.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The ad campaign is funded by Accountability Virginia PAC, a political action committee registered to MBA Consulting Group, a D.C.-based firm that works to elect Democratic candidates.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>MBA Consulting Group received funds from several political action committees that help Democrat candidates win elections, including Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff, Gary Peters, Raphael Warnock, John Hickenlooper and more.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The Accountability Virginia PAC Facebook Page is managed by Gambit Strategies, a digital ad firm started by two political strategists, Megan Clasen and Patrick McHugh, who have worked with Democratic campaigns and political action committees.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A Democrat-linked consulting firm is running a Facebook Ads campaign taking aim at Virginia gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin&nbsp;because he is not endorsed by the National Rifle Association.<\/p>\n<p>Facebook Page <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AccountabilityVirginia\/\">Accountability Virginia<\/a>&nbsp;began running&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ads\/library\/?active_status=all&amp;ad_type=political_and_issue_ads&amp;country=US&amp;view_all_page_id=239676591327737&amp;sort_data%5Bdirection%5D=desc&amp;sort_data%5Bmode%5D=relevancy_monthly_grouped&amp;search_type=page&amp;media_type=all\">ads<\/a> on Sept. 21 criticizing Youngkin, the Republican candidate for Governor of Virginia, over his stance on the Second Amendment. The ad campaign is funded by Accountability Virginia PAC, a political action committee (PAC) registered to a Washington, D.C.-based consultant firm that works to elect Democratic candidates.<\/p>\n<p>The ads claim Youngkin is untrustworthy as a candidate because he is not endorsed by the NRA, also saying Youngkin is not vocal enough about his position on gun rights legislation. Accountability Virginia PAC spent $6,726 on the ads, receiving a total of roughly 250,000 impressions, according to the campaign\u2019s Facebook Ad Library data.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile the NRA backs Donald Trump, they REFUSED to endorse Glenn Youngkin,\u201d one <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ads\/library\/?id=553683749190946\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ad<\/a> reads, claiming \u201cwe can\u2019t trust Glenn Youngkin on guns,\u201d while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ads\/library\/?id=373074644297151\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">another<\/a> urges voters to \u201ctell him to tell us the truth about where he stands!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ads\/library\/?id=1045322732961309\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ad<\/a> cites Youngkin\u2019s allegedly tight-lipped stance on the Second Amendment as a reason why he is \u201cjust another politician we can\u2019t trust.\u201d <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/09\/14\/glenn-youngkin-pro-life-virginia-mcauliffe-washington-post-pinocchios\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(RELATED: Washington Post: Glenn Youngkin Isn\u2019t As Pro-Life As McAuliffe Claims)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The most popular ad, which said that Youngkin was the only Republican not endorsed by the NRA, was seen between 125,000 and 150,000 times, according to Facebook Ad Library <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ads\/library\/?active_status=all&amp;ad_type=political_and_issue_ads&amp;country=US&amp;view_all_page_id=239676591327737&amp;sort_data%5Bdirection%5D=desc&amp;sort_data%5Bmode%5D=relevancy_monthly_grouped&amp;search_type=page&amp;media_type=all\">data<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7274499\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"36\">\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7274499\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Facebook \u201clike\u201d sign is seen at Facebook\u2019s corporate headquarters campus in Menlo Park, California, on October 23, 2019. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The messages are funded by Accountability Virginia PAC, according to the ads themselves, and Accountability Virginia\u2019s Facebook Page links to the PAC\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.accountabilityvapac.org\/\">website<\/a>. The site features a \u201cDonate\u201d button as the only link, which directs visitors to a donation <a href=\"https:\/\/secure.actblue.com\/donate\/accountability-virginia-pac-1\">page<\/a>&nbsp;managed by ActBlue, an organization that facilitates fundraising for Democrat candidates and left-leaning groups.<\/p>\n<p>The PAC is registered to a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm called Mele Brengarth and Associates, also known as MBA Consulting Group, according to Federal Election Commission <a href=\"https:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/forms\/C00783746\/1522799\/\">filings<\/a>. The PAC was created on July 2, 2021 and lists as treasurer and custodian of records Jeremy Begun, a compliance director at MBA Consulting Group, according to the firm\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/mbacg.com\/team\/\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>MBA Consulting Group did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n<p>The firm is associated with a number of Democratic PACs and candidates. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/01\/01\/facebook-shuts-down-ad-account-republican-fundraising-committee-days-before-georgia-runoffs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(RELATED: Facebook Shuts Down Ad Account For Republican Fundraising Committee 4 Days Before Georgia Runoffs)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>MBA Consulting Group received money from several PACs that help Democrat candidates win elections, including Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff, Gary Peters, Raphael Warnock, John Hickenlooper and more, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/campaign-expenditures\/vendor?cycle=2020&amp;vendor=MBA+Consulting+Group\">data<\/a>&nbsp;from Open Secrets. The firm received $162,383 from Warnock for Georgia, $226,622 from Hickenlooper for Colorado, $236,562 from Peters for Michigan and $236,914 from Jon Ossoff for Senate during the 2020 election cycle.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/melebrengarthandassociates\/posts\/3521244384656902\">Several<\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/melebrengarthandassociates\/posts\/3613742378740435\">posts<\/a>&nbsp;on the MBA Consulting Group\u2019s Facebook Page also celebrate the firm\u2019s work with Democrat candidates, with one <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/melebrengarthandassociates\/posts\/3071805492934129\">post<\/a>&nbsp;thanking Georgians for nominating Jon Ossoff in the Georgia Democratic Senate Primary.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7287983\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"36\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7287983\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-7287983\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/glenn-youngkin-scaled-e1632345178367.jpg\" alt srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/glenn-youngkin-scaled-e1632345178367.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/glenn-youngkin-scaled-e1632345178367-282x120.jpg 282w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/glenn-youngkin-scaled-e1632345178367-620x265.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/glenn-youngkin-scaled-e1632345178367-768x328.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/glenn-youngkin-scaled-e1632345178367-1536x656.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/glenn-youngkin-scaled-e1632345178367-2048x875.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7287983\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Virginia gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) speaks during a campaign event on July 14, 2021 in McLean, Virginia. Youngkin is running against former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe. (Photo by Win McNamee\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Moreover, the Accountability Virginia Facebook Page is managed by Gambit Strategies, a digital ad firm started by political strategists Megan Clasen and Patrick McHugh, both of whom have worked with Democratic campaigns and political action committees, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2021\/03\/16\/bidens-digital-guru-megan-clasen-476205\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">according<\/a> to Politico.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCombined since 2016, nobody has overseen more digital spending than Megan and I in the Democratic party,\u201d McHugh told Politico.<\/p>\n<p>Gambit Strategies did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n<p>Youngkin did not receive an endorsement from the NRA, and he has declined to complete a questionnaire issued by the organization that assesses candidates\u2019 positions on gun rights, <a href=\"https:\/\/richmond.com\/news\/state-and-regional\/govt-and-politics\/nra-skips-youngkin-endorsement-backs-other-gop-statewide-candidates\/article_bbfb0c1a-8d87-5612-bac4-57bfc9f71980.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">according<\/a> to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Youngkin has made a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/glennyoungkin\/status\/1384920965356867588\">number<\/a>&nbsp;of public <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/glennyoungkin\/status\/1366502466615967750?lang=en\">comments<\/a>&nbsp;pledging his intent to defend gun rights, and he has repeatedly described himself as an \u201cunapologetic gun owner\u201d as well as a lifelong member of the NRA.<\/p>\n<p>Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact <a href=\"mailto:licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org\">licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Democrat-linked consulting firm is running a Facebook Ads campaign taking aim at Virginia gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin because he is not endorsed by the National Rifle Association. The ad &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-820841","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/820841","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=820841"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/820841\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=820841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=820841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=820841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}