The Right Way Initiative, a public policy 501(c)4 nonprofit, will have a television ad in the Cincinnati cable market today in support of the four-term state lawmaker who's seeking the 8th Congressional District seat once held by former U.S. Speaker John Boehner. They have committed to spend $450,000 on television ads in the Cincinnati cable market, radio spots on WKRC and WLW radio, and a "pretty extensive" mail and digital ad program, said Michael Baroody, the group's board of directors chairman.
He said Derickson would be “the right addition” to Congress “that constructive conservatives will welcome.”
“He’s not a novice,” said Baroody, who served multiple roles in eight years in President Ronald Reagan’s White House. “His experience in the Ohio legislature will stand him in good stead and help him hit the ground running.”
That includes his record of supporting tax cuts for individuals and businesses and education reform, as well as his Ohio Right to Life endorsement and NRA A-plus rating.
This congressional campaign, which features 15 Republicans seeking the GOP nomination in the March 15 special and general primary elections, has hundreds of thousands of dollars already being spent or committed.
Derickson and opponents State Sen. Bill Beagle, R-Tipp City, and Troy businessman Warren Davidson, have six-figures in their campaign coffers as of their year-end campaign finance reports. Davidson also has has received $455,661 in support from the conservative Club for Growth, also out of Washington, D.C.
The Right Way Initiative will be the second television commercial from an outside group in this campaign. Club for Growth has put out an ad for Davidson. Ads were released earlier this month by the campaigns for Derickson, Davidson and Middletown business owner Jim Spurlino, and Beagle's campaign released its first TV ad this week.
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The Right Way Initiative was formed in August 2016, and its website will be launched today.
The group’s primary focus is policy issues and issue advocacy, but to a lesser extent the 501(c)4 also supports candidate advocacy, and Baroody said the 8th Congressional District “is a race that will be viewed widely” as it was Boehner’s old congressional seat.
But this is not the only race the group will be looking for candidates to support, said Baroody.
“We’ll be involved in others as well,” he said. “We were ready to get active in a way we haven’t until now. And we’re ready to get involved in other races.”
And Baroody said they are looking to get involved in the national discussion on candidates “to try to recapture, redefine for ourselves and for others to be what we call a constructive conservative.”
“We want to further a constructive policy agenda by growing the majority of who would conduct themselves in the same way,” he said.
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