DCCC Targets Trump’s Trade War

Highlighting the everyday cost of Donald Trump’s trade war tariffs – taxes on U.S. consumers that Trump insists are being paid by the Chinese – the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched a digital ad campaign this morning, targeting specific GOP incumbents.

Inside a Facebook ad naming a particular Republican – e.g., Michael McCaul (TX-10), Chip Roy (TX-21), John Carter (TX-31) – a gif shows rising prices on various household items (shoes, clothes, laptops) with a snarky phrase (“Write your papers … on paper?”) and the tag line, “Rep. John Carter is costing us.”

According to the DCCC press release, “These ads, launching as families do their back-to-school shopping, highlight products experts have indicated will go up in price as a result of Republicans’ reckless trade war.”

DCCC spokesperson Avery Jaffe elaborated: “As kids head back to school their families are paying more for everything, from new shoes to the laptop they’ll do their homework on. … These ads will remind voters that it’s Congressman Carter and Washington Republicans who are playing games with our economy, while their recklessness costs hardworking families in Texas more.”

The national ads are to appear in U.S. House districts targeted as potential gains for the Democrats in 2020 – among them the Austin crossing districts TX-10, TX-21, and TX-31. See the Carter example here. You can read more on the Congressional primary campaigns in this week’s Chronicle.