The Condordia Group — an Iowa-based consulting firm — has released a YouTube ad supporting Republican Cynthia Golding in her race against Democrat Liz Mathis for the state’s special senate election in District 18. The seat could change the balance of power in senate — Democrats have a 25-24 advantage and Gloding’s victory would tie the chamber at 25 — and potentially allow conservatives to push through an amendment outlawing marriage equality.
The ad targets Democrats for protecting “rogue” and “unaccountable” judges — who struck down the state’s anti-gay marriage law — and failing to defund Planned Parenthood. Watch it:
The founder of the group, Nick Ryan, and his associate, Jill Latham, “are consultants to Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign,” Enzo of the Aksarbent blog notes. Ryan is also behind American Future Fund — a secretive political group that has been accused of violating robocalling laws. The group has been tied to the 1988 “Willie Horton” ad and the 2004 “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” ads, but made as significant impact on the 2010 midterm elections, winning 76 percent of races in which it participated. AFF is “registered as a 501(c)(4)” and can receive unlimited donations without disclosing its donors.
Latham, meanwhile, served as Mitt Romney’s Iowa organizational director in 2008.
Both Golding and Mathis have thus far avoided the marriage issue, with Golding arguing, “We have so many issues in this state that are much more important for our economy, for the families, for business.”
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