Tight Florida Senate races targeted by dark money group

[Zorro]

If the ads succeed in persuading Democrats or independent voters to choose the fringe candidates in three competitive races, it benefits the mainstream Republican who is running.

Voters in three competitive Florida Senate races are seeing a deluge of political mail ads funded by a mystery donor that aim to “confuse” in an apparent effort to shave votes from Democratic candidates.

The mailers, which feature messaging on issues that historically appeal to Democrats, advertise little-known, no-party candidates who have not actively campaigned. The ads urge voters to “cut the strings” from party-backed candidates.

Voters in three key state Senate races — Senate District 9 in Central Florida and Senate Districts 37 and 39 in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties — have been bombarded with the political ads although little is known about the group that paid for them. If the ads succeed in persuading Democrats or independent voters to choose the fringe candidates in those races, it benefits the mainstream Republican who is running.

Proclivity, a donor that had never made political contributions in Florida, showed up in campaign finance records in early October. The donor poured $550,000 into political committees, which quickly used the money to buy what is believed to be hundreds of thousands of mailed political advertisements in support of the no-party candidates.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/elections/2020/10/27/tight-florida-senate-races-targeted-by-dark-money-group/